An Act of Silence was published on 29 June 2017 by Wildfire and is available to buy here
A thrilling psychological crime novel about a mother faced with an impossible choice, and the consequences of her decision for years to come. Perfect for fans of APPLE TREE YARD, DISCLAIMER, and television dramas STATE OF PLAY and NATIONAL TREASURE.
These are the facts I collect.
My son Gabriel met a woman called Mariela in a bar. She went home with him. They next morning she was found in an allotment.
Mariela is dead.
Gabriel has been asked to report to Camden Police station in six hours for questioning
Linda Moscow loves her son; it’s her biological instinct to keep him safe. But if she’s not sure of his innocence, how can she stand by him? Should she go against everything she believes in to protect him?
She’s done it before, and the guilt nearly killed her.
Now, the past is catching up with them. As old secrets resurface, Lind is faced with another impossible choice. Only this time, it’s her life on the line…
My thoughts
Colette McBeth has established herself as one of the top writers of psychological crime. Effortlessly she produces consistently intelligent and gripping stories. The latest An Act of Silence is no exception. It just reeks of realism; touching on political cover ups, scandals and the long term repercussions of evil deeds.
It is hard to know where to start when describing this book. I really don’t want to give the game away too much. I want to hint at how it messes with your perception. It is so clever! I want you to come to this fresh and to let the political intrigue and drama play out. It really is worth it. Avoid the spoilers as much as you can.
I can tell you … An Act of Silence starts off as a voyage into the complicated relationship between a mother and a son. A disgraced politician mother and her celebrity comedian son. The son, Gabriel, gets accused of murder. He is a bit of a minor celebrity, enjoying his fame with plenty of sex and drugs. He turns up at his mother’s home desperate for her support. He is accused of killing a woman, that he had a one night stand with. Slowly we get to know Linda, the ex-politician and mother. She has become a recluse following a major political scandal. She is working on a novel, with the aim of bringing a major political cover up out into the open. Is her son capable of murder? Life gets very complicated for the pair, all of a sudden.
McBeth is just wonderful at making these two complex individuals come alive. I don’t even like politicians much. I trust them even less. I found myself feeling compassion for Linda. I started to see her as an individual, with flaws. I even warmed to Gabriel, as we see his childhood adventures. As the perspective changes all of the time, together with the time frame, it takes a long time to be able to judge what is going on. McBeth keeps the reader on their toes, shifting things and making you reassess what you know. The full horrors of the past do emerge. We see the victims, the perpetrators and the massive cover up. It is heart breaking. It will remind you of very real cases of abuse, that you have read about with horror in the media.
I cannot praise this enough. It really is what I want to read. I want to be taken to a dark place and to emerge with a slight sense of shock. This is a quality drama. Highly recommended.
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