ARC REVIEW: The Silent Girls – by Dylan Young @bookouture

Title: The Silent Girls
(Detective Anna Gwynne #1)
Author: Dylan Young
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Crime
First published: January 19th 2018
Publisher: Bookouture
Finished reading: January 17th 2018
Pages: 309

“Even in the twenty-first century, warm-blooded animals all knew that things hunted in the dark.”

*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Bookouture in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***

!! Happy publication day !!

I’ll admit it: I was sold as soon as I saw both the cover and the mention of a serial killer involved. I have a weak spot for serial killer thrillers, so I have been looking forward to pick up The Silent Girls ever since. And there is no doubt that this first book of a new detective series is a very promising start to what hopefully will be yet another favorite detective series on my list. First of all, I really liked the refreshing cold case angle. Detective Anna Gwynne is in a way another typical strong female main character, BUT her INTJ (Intuitive Introvert who prioritised Thinking and Judgement) adds a little something to the mix and the fact that she investigates cold cases is refreshing. The writing style in The Silent Girls is engaging and draws you right in; I was hooked right from the very first chapter. Both cases Anna Gwynne has to deal with have their creepy killer factor and it is interesting to see past and present collide and the secrets and lies slowly unravel. There are a lot of plot twists involved and the pace never slows down… You won’t find a boring minute as you try to figure out along with Anna Gwynne what is really going on. Also, the whole Shaw subplot shows a lot of promise for the future. If you are looking for a new and refreshing detective series to follow, you should go meet Anna Gwynne!

When a young girl disappears near the local forest, the police are convinced she has been taken by the same killer who murdered young Emily Risman eighteen years ago. They had their man behind bars, but he was released after having spent seventeen years in prison, his conviction having ruled unsafe. The police is desperate to find the evidence to put him away once and for all, but is he really the killer they are looking for? Cold case investigator detective Anna Gwynne suspects otherwise… But will she find proof before it’s too late?

There is no doubt that The Silent Girls is a very promising start of a new detective series that will be on my radar from now on. From a flowing, engaging writing style, interesting plot, refreshing cold case angle to great characters and a healthy dose of suspense and creepy suspects; The Silent Girls has it all. I can definitely recommend this new series to fans of the genre. Detective Anna Gwynne is one to keep an eye on.