She Treads Softly: Price of Silence

Saturday, October 10, 2026

Price of Silence

Price of Silence by Elise Hart Kipness
1/1/27; 317 pages
Thomas & Mercer
Sydney Price #1

Price of Silence by Elise Hart Kipness is a highly recommended investigative domestic drama following a wealthy, influential media family.

Sydney Price is a reporter at WNEX in NYC. Even though she is part of the Glenmont Media family after her father married her stepmother, Judith Glenmont, Sydney wants to make her own way on her own merit in the business. The plot opens strong with an explosion at the Glenmont Media Headquarters across the street from WNEX, Sydney immediately makes sure her family is okay, while colleagues are hoping she can uncover inside information. Veteran reporter Randy Fields uncovers intel that small pipe bombs were responsible and this delayed an important vote in the boardroom. A huge storm moves in, and Sydney needs to go to a swanky engagement party for her stepbrother James and Dalia, where her ex, Oliver, is also attending. Randy suddenly, suspiciously, becomes violently ill, is hospitalized, and dies.

The narrative starts with a lot going on, including bombs, a storm, a plethora of secrets, intrigue, lies, and plenty of interpersonal and family drama. Since the author was a reporter, the newsroom scenes are realistically portrayed. Parts of the drama are predictable because there have been clues clearly shared in the narrative, which does lessen some of the big twists/reveals in the plot. There is, naturally, much attention of the ultra-wealthy Glenmont family and plenty of infighting. It's not always easy to feel a connection with an entitled wealthy family behaving badly.

After a fast-paced start with an abundance of excitement and intrigue, the plot slowed down in the middle, but it does recover to a satisfying ending. There is also a romance subplot that was annoying, unrealistic, and unnecessary as it distracted from the actual plot. Really, a conspiracy is being uncovered, family drama is escalating, there are ties to other powerful people, a co-worker dies suspiciously, a huge storm is causing havoc, you might be in danger personally, and you suddenly feel romantic? Yeah, not likely.

Price of Silence is a good choice for those who enjoy following an investigation by a reporter and the ensuing drama in her very wealthy family. Thanks to Thomas & Mercer for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGally. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

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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.