She Treads Softly: The Silent House

Tuesday, June 30, 2026

The Silent House

The Silent House by Lynda Renham
7/23/26; 339pages
dp books/ Digital Publishing

The Silent House by Lynda Renham is a very highly recommended domestic psychological thriller.

Daniel (Danny) and Joann (Jo) Neal are a successful couple with one son, Joel. Danny is a finance director while Jo is a paediatric surgeon. They have just bought and renovated a country house in the Cotswolds but will also keep their desirable apartment in the city for times when Jo is on call. Jo is looking forward to going out with Danny for their anniversary tonight so after Jo finishes her workout with friend and co-worker Gil, she walks home as it is nearby. Then she is abducted by a hooded man. Danny comes home to the nanny, Nicola, upset, not a word from Jo, and her friend Gil is shocked she didn't arrive home.

In the aftermath Danny receives a phone call demanding 2 million dollars to be delivered in 2 payments at sites to be shared in the future, and no police. Danny knows his in-laws, Donald and Julia have the money and will pay the ransom, but Donald does demand proof of life first. They receive a picture of Jo and make the first drop off. After this, unapproved by Danny, Gil and Nicola contact a friend, DS Josie Blackford and the police get involved. The second drop off site is set, but, while under surveillance by the police, the kidnapper calls Danny and changes the drop off location. Danny disables his wires and tracking while setting off for the new location. Jo is still not returned.

This is an extremely well written thriller which moves at a fast pace. It starts out following a familiar formula so you will think you know where the plot is heading and will have made predictions about what is going to happen. Trust me, you don't know. Once the first big twist hits, it shakes up everything, then more information and subsequent twists hit and you will find yourself reading as fast as possible trying to find out what could possible be revealed next. The multiple lies, secrets, and duplicity are all exposed one right after the other and everything you thought you knew just wasn't the case.

It is the many unpredictable twists toward the end that lead up to a shocking final denouement that totally changes the entire novel and make it a cut above other thrillers. It was an engaging and compelling novel at the start and then the narrative changed into thriller as it headed toward the end. Renham did an exceptional job misdirecting me and subsequently shocking me. I will admit that there are a lot of characters all introduced at the beginning of the novel and I had a little note pad nearby to write down names until I had everyone figured out.

The Silent House is an excellent choice for those who enjoy domestic psychological thrillers with surprising twists. Thanks to dp books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

No comments:

Post a Comment

John Updike's six rules for reviewing:

1. Try to understand what the author wished to do, and do not blame him for not achieving what he did not attempt.

2. Give him enough direct quotation--at least one extended passage--of the book's prose so the review's reader can form his own impression, can get his own taste.

3. Confirm your description of the book with quotation from the book, if only phrase-long, rather than proceeding by fuzzy precis.

4. Go easy on plot summary, and do not give away the ending.

5. If the book is judged deficient, cite a successful example along the same lines, from the author's oeuvre or elsewhere. Try to understand the failure. Sure it's his and not yours?

To these concrete five might be added a vaguer sixth, having to do with maintaining a chemical purity in the reaction between product and appraiser.....Review the book, not the reputation.... Better to praise and share than blame and ban. The communion between reviewer and his public is based upon the presumption of certain possible joys in reading, and all our discriminations should curve toward that end.