Title: The Silence by Luca Veste
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 400 pages
Book Rating: B
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley
Summary:
From the author of The Bone Keeper comes another sinister tale of secrets, revenge, and a killer lurking near
It was supposed to be our last weekend away as friends, before marriage and respectability beckoned. But what happened that Saturday changed everything.
We killed a stranger and covered it up.
In the middle of the night, someone died.
We didn’t know our victim was a serial killer.
The six of us promised each other we would not tell anyone about the body we buried.
But now the pact has been broken.
We don’t think he was working alone.
And the killing has started again …
Review:
The Silence by Luca Veste is a suspenseful mystery.
Matt Connolly and his partner, Alexandra Thompson, join their long time friends Chris and Nicola and Stuart and Michelle for a weekend music festival in the country. After a fun-filled weekend, Matt awakens to screams and going to investigate, he finds Stuart locked in a fight with a stranger. As the rest of their friends join them, they do everything in their power to save Stuart. Unfortunately, they kill the stranger in the process and after much discussion, they decide to cover up the death.
A year later, their lives and friendships are forever altered. When one of their friends dies, Matt is wracked with guilt and decides to look deeper into what happened that weekend. He also takes an in-depth look into the much rumored serial killer dubbed the Candle Man. Although the police dismiss the Candle Man, Matt becomes certain the speculation is true. And he is also convinced the Candle Man (or perhaps his partner) is targeting him and his friends. Will Matt uncover the truth about the Candle Man before he (or one of his friends) becomes the serial killer’s next victim?
Matt’s circumstances have changed the most and he is now only in contact with his best friend Chris. Matt works from home which is very fortunate since he can barely bring himself to leave the house. Always looking over his shoulder and compulsively checking the locks on the windows and doors, he can barely bring himself to attend his mate’s funeral. Afterwards, he is very concerned for Michelle’s safety and Matt tries to convince him to stay with him or a family member.
Matt fights through his fears and begins to search in earnest for information on the Candle Man. Armed with new details and completely certain the Candle Man is not a myth, he heads back to where their troubles began one year earlier. With a suspect in mind, he becomes even more frightened for his and his friends safety. Desperate to stop the Candle Man, Matt recklessly continues his investigation in spite of the increasing danger. Will Matt find the serial killer before it is too late?
The Silence is an engrossing mystery with an intriguing premise and engaging characters. The storyline is interesting and unfolds at a steady pace. Narrator Matt’s fear and anxiety are palpable as he frantically tries to unmask the Candle Man. With a shocking plot twist, Luca Veste brings this mesmerizing mystery to a breathless conclusion. Fans of the genre will enjoy this clever mystery.
