Review: The Silent Girls
The Silent Girls
Author: Dylan Young
Published: Jan. 19, 2018 by Bookoutre
Kindle edition, 309 pages
Genre: thriller, mystery
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2Dkl3FS
Happy Friday!
I am thrilled to post today’s review post for the debut of Dylan Young’s latest book. Today is the day that The Silent Girls is finally out in publication. I’m taking part in a blog tour to aid with promotion of this novel — be sure to check out some of the other blogs for their thoughts.
From the publisher: 
‘Ambulance and police. Something’s happened. I don’t know what. But my little girl.’ A sob choked off the sentence… ‘It’s my daughter.’
When a young girl disappears from the edge of the local forest, the Gloucestershire police are convinced she’s been taken by the same killer who stabbed to death beautiful, young Emily Risman eighteen years ago. They’re desperate to finally have the evidence to put him away. To save another girl before it’s too late.
Only Detective Anna Gwynne thinks he isn’t the real killer.
Anna can’t find proof and as time is running out, she realises she needs to get inside the killer’s twisted mind. And she knows just who to ask. Hector Shaw, in prison for killing the six men who caused his own daughter’s death.
Can Anna get what she needs from Hector before another life is lost, or could he lead her down a path that puts her own life in grave danger?
An absolutely page-turning thriller that will have you hooked. If you love Val McDermid, Angela Marsons and M.J. Arlidge, you won’t be able to put down The Silent Girls.
My review:
On the edge of the forest of Dean, in Gloucester, a teenage girl goes missing and time is running out. Meanwhile, cases from the past keep surfacing and threaten to collide with the missing girl.
Detective Anna Gwyne is tracking down a cold case, the murder of Emily Risman seventeen years ago by the grisly killer known as the Woodsman. The accused killer had been released from prison after a massive police cover up was exposed and she’s against the clock to find out who really killed Emily all those years ago.
This spellbinding police procedural is sure to keep you turning the pages long after you should have been in bed.
Young introduces readers to the fresh Detective Inspector Anna Gwyne in this first installment of a murder mystery series. Her dogged determination and methodical police work have gotten results in the past, but this is her first case as Inspector and she needs all her wits about her.
This isn’t Young’s debut novel and it shows. He cleverly creates a balanced character who has been thrust in the middle of a tangled case. Anna isn’t your usual tough-girl. She has the intelligence to work through a case, but isn’t a lone wolf. She heavily relies on her training, mentors, and her team to crack the case and I loved reading her balance that. She accepts help, even when it comes from the most unlikely of places.
I particularly enjoyed getting to know Anna. She’s reserved and analytical, but you can see that she’s become comfortable in her own skin as who she is. This doesn’t mean that she is an ice queen, rather that it is refreshing to see someone who is cool and collected, but also understands that sometimes she has to push herself to get the results she needs. Many authors portray female detectives as brash or ice-cold, but Young’s Gwyne leapt off the page with her quiet spirit and caring nature.
This gripping thriller is sure to stick with you long after you’ve read it. Dylan Young is an author to keep an eye on!
Pick up your copy today: Amazon Kindle
Please note that this book was previously titled Come Out to Play. This review is part of a promotional blog tour for this book. I was given a free copy of the book in exchange for a review, however the thoughts and opinions on this page are my own and were not influenced by the publisher or author.
About the author: 
Dylan Young grew up in a mining village in South Wales before boarding a train for university in London. A career in the NHS followed, but the urge to write never went away. Three dark psychological thrillers for Random House emerged in the late nineties, two of which were made into BBC films. Over the last decade, under different pseudonyms, he’s written children’s books and an adult contemporary fantasy series. But his liking for crime (writing) never died. The Silent Girls releases 19th January with the second book to follow soon after.
Find him on social media here:
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