The Silence

More about the book

In 1997, Isla Green is awakened by a late-night call from her father in Sydney, stirring memories of a haunting past. Thirty years earlier, in the summer of 1967, their neighbor Mandy vanished, initially thought to have left her troubled marriage for a new life. Now, as Mandy's family seeks closure, Isla's father, Joe, becomes the prime suspect in her disappearance. Reluctantly, Isla prepares to return to Australia for the first time in a decade to support him. This journey back to Sydney leads her to a quiet seaside street where two couples live side by side. Isla's parents, Louisa and Joe, have emigrated from England, with Louisa struggling with homesickness while Joe embraces their new life. Next door, Mandy and her husband Steve, a cop under pressure, face their own challenges, particularly regarding starting a family. As Isla delves into the past, she uncovers unsettling truths about both couples and the secrets that lie within their marriages. She grapples with the possibility of her father's guilt, her mother's knowledge, and the potential unraveling of their family. Additionally, she senses a deeper, unspoken secret tied to Australia's colonial history, which has bound the community in silence.