May 17, 2017

Not A Sound. Heather Gudenkauf

book cover
Published: MIRA (Australia)
Date: 1st June 2017
Format: e-ARC
Pages: 304
Genre:Mystery/Thriller
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Rating:
4.5 stars        Add to Goodreads
When a tragic accident leaves nurse Amelia Winn deaf, she spirals into a depression that ultimately causes her to lose everything that matters — her job, her husband, David, and her stepdaughter, Nora. Now, two years later and with the help of her hearing dog, Stitch, she is finally getting back on her feet. But when she discovers the body of a fellow nurse in the dense bush by the river, deep in the woods near her cabin, she is plunged into a disturbing mystery that could shatter the carefully reconstructed pieces of her life all over again.

As clues begin to surface, Amelia finds herself swept into an investigation that hits all too close to home. But how much is she willing to risk in order to uncover the truth and bring a killer to justice?


My thoughts banner
From the moment I began reading Not A Sound I was fully into it. Heather Gudenkauf pulled me in with her opening scene, and her writing had me imagining clearly the scenes she was setting. 

The story is told from the viewpoint of Amelia, who is deaf after an accident that was appalling. It was really interesting to be drawn into a deaf person's world, to find out in a new way what they miss out on. I never thought about them not being able to differentiate emotions because they can't hear the tone and inflections of a voice. I found the phone that translates a voice into written text an insight, and the fact a deaf person is unsure of how loud or soft there voice is when speaking.  Amelia is a strong, resilient person, she has known the depths of despair and part of this story is the finding of herself again and taking her place in her world about her.

Her dog Stitch, a service dog, is very much a character too. I liked that he wasn't perfect! He's a flawed character - with good reason! He didn't always do as he was told, but he was very loyal to Amelia, loving and protective and showed how a service dog is so helpful. 

I loved the mystery and the untangling of a crime. At times it was a little scary - but not too much. The story moved along at a very good pace, the clues were slowly revealed as Amelia followed the trail. I felt that Amelia perhaps took on too much and that Jake the detective was a little more out of the picture than he should have been at crucial times.

A very satisfying read, one that had me reaching for the book any moment I had. It may be that I don't read mystery/crime very often, but... it brought back the juicy feeling of reading a good book.
crime page turner well written full of intirigue

14 comments:

  1. Sometimes it's good to read a mystery :)

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  2. Sounds good! Made me laugh with the thought of an imperfect service dog :)

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  3. I love having a dog character - especially an imperfect one! This sounds really good and I love that you were drawn in from the start. I had never thought about it being difficult to pick up social cues without hearing. I guess I always assumed that visual cues would make up for it but it makes sense!

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  4. I love all Ms. Gudenkauf's books, well except the last one for some reason. I can't wait to pick this one up when I can. The premise is different and intriguing in this story.

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  5. I am glad you enjoyed this one, too. I also found the aspects about living and interacting when deaf very enlightening. Thanks for sharing.

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  6. OMG I LOVE her, Did you know she's almost totally deaf? She's an amazing author. Thanks Kathryn. I'm off to Cancun and my daughter's wedding see you in a week!!!

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  7. This sounds awesome, and I am very intrigued by the premise. Great review!
    Sam @ WLABB

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  8. I am looking forward to this book. Glad you enjoyed it so much.

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  9. I love a good mystery and featuring a dog is good too. Thanks for this great review. I am putting this one on my to read list.

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  10. This book sounds very appealing. I like the insights into a deaf persons world and of course love dogs. I'm going to add this to my 'ToRead' list and may recommend it to my bookclub when it is my turn to pick some books out. Thanks for a terrific review. I'm glad you enjoyed Not A Sound.

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  11. It sounds very interesting. I took ASL last year and enjoyed learning about their culture and different issues that result from being deaf. The pup sounds adorable :)

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  12. I love mysteries and can't believe that I haven't read a book by Heather Gudenkauf yet. I love that it made you want to keep picking it up. Plus it sounds like a really interesting insight into the world of a deaf person. Added to my tbr.

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  13. Very nice review, Kathryn.

    I too enjoyed this book and was able to feel what Amelia was feeling because of the great research the author had done. Marvelous job on her part.

    A great mystery that was quite stressful at the end with all the action happening.

    Elizabeth

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  14. I've got this book coming up soon for me!! I am so happy to read you enjoyed it. I have enjoyed most of Heather's books, so it's good all around.
    Thanks for sharing!

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