Relative Silence by Carrie Stuart Parks {A Book Review}

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley for consideration. All thoughts are 100% my own. 

 

A powerful family with lots of secrets. A forensic artist with his own tragedies. And a hurricane drawing bearing down on their private island. 

Fifteen years ago Piper Boone’s only child died in a boating accident, and Piper’s almost perfect life came to an end too. After living through a divorce and losing her job, she retreats to Curlew Island and her childhood home—a secluded mansion for the politically powerful Boone family, who are practically American royalty.

But Piper’s desire to become a recluse is shattered when a mass shooter opens fire and kills three women at a café where Piper is having lunch. The crisis puts her family in the spotlight by dredging up rumors of the so-called Curlew Island Curse, which whispers say has taken the lives of several members of the Boone family, including Piper’s father and sister.

Forensic artist Tucker Landry also survives the shooting and is tasked with the job of sketching a portrait of the shooter with Piper. They forge a bond over their shared love of movies and tragic pasts. But when police discover a connection between the shooting and two more murders on Curlew Island, they face a more terrible lineup of suspects than they could have imagined: Piper’s family.

Unraveling the family’s true history will be the key to Piper’s survival—or her certain death.

Carrie Stuart Parks is a Christy, multiple Carol, and Inspy Award–winning author. She was a 2019 finalist in the Daphne du Maurier Award for excellence in mainstream mystery/suspense and has won numerous awards for her fine art as well. An internationally known forensic artist, she travels with her husband, Rick, across the US and Canada teaching courses in forensic art to law-enforcement professionals. The author/illustrator of numerous books on drawing and painting, Carrie continues to create dramatic watercolors from her studio in the mountains of Idaho.

While I have only read one other book by Carrie Stuart Parks (Fragments of Fear), after finishing up her latest novel Relative Silence, I can say without a doubt that she has quickly moved up my list as one to watch for. The story drew me into the action right from the start--- with a heartbreaking prologue followed immediately by a shooting in chapter one... and it didn't stop right through to the very end. It was one that given the choice, I wouldn't have put down until I finished. As it was, I had to force myself away. I truly could not put it down.

I immediately was drawn in by Piper's character and everything she had been through in the past, only to find herself right back in the midst of tragedy. Her rescuer- Tucker- is no stranger to tragic pasts himself. The more I learned about both of their stories, the more I liked them both. It was a great romance, but certainly more subtle taking a backseat to the mystery and drama within the story. And that there was no shortage of. At each turn of the page, more was revealed to leave us guessing. While I figured out one of the larger twists in the story fairly on, there were always enough clues to suggest otherwise to keep me wondering. And the big whodunnit? Likewise, there was a little bit of suspicion thrown in all directions. I wasn't sure who to trust, and could only imagine how Piper must have felt--- not knowing who in her family and close circle could have set these events in motion. Even when Piper had it figured out, I wasn't quite there just yet... as one line in the book stated: No one had an alibi, and everyone had a motive! This was certainly not a family without it's drama and skeletons and all of these layers truly made one very intriguing story.

Overall, this was a fantastic read and one that fans of Christian suspense are absolutely going to love! I loved it, and find myself ready to read more from the author! It's definitely a must read.