The Silence of Murder

September 15, 2011

A teenager tries to clear her mute brother's name when he is accused of murdering the local high-school baseball coach. 

Hope Long already had a laundry list of problems before her autistic brother Jeremy was arrested for murder: an abusive, alcoholic mother, a run-down house and no social life to speak of. But true to her name, Hope isn't letting any of that get in the way of playing amateur detective. Enlisting the help of school outsider T.J. and crush object Chase, who conveniently is also the son of the local sheriff, she looks for evidence that proves selectively mute Jeremy couldn't have killed the coach he admired and loved. In a tearjerking denouement, Hope reveals what she has learned, resulting in an ending that will surprise no one. While the premise of this overly earnest psychological thriller will intrigue some readers, it suffers from slow pacing and a secondary cast of one-dimensional characters. Hope doesn't even begin detecting until nearly 100 pages in, and her constant recollections of her brother's selfless past actions make him appear perfect rather than real. In addition, the mean parents, bumbling defense lawyer and preening prosecutor all play to type, their characters flat. 

Pass up this one for one of Judy Blundell's or Kathryn Miller Haines' whip-smart girl-centered mysteries instead. (Mystery. 13 & up)  

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

November 1, 2011

Gr 8 Up-After her autistic brother is accused of murdering the town's beloved baseball coach, 16-year-old Hope Long determines to exonerate him. To prove Jeremy's innocence, she must overcome significant obstacles, including his inability to defend himself because of selective muteness, criminal evidence that is damning, and the townspeople's judgmental attitudes toward the 18-year-old's disability. With the assistance of her friend T. J. and the sheriff's son, Chase, she compiles a list of suspects and seeks clues that will clear Jeremy. In the course of their detective work, romance ensues between Hope and Chase, which helps lighten the novel's dark tone. Hope uncovers a shocking revelation about her mother, dramatically impacting Jeremy's case. Paced like a riveting television courtroom drama, with the ultimate conclusive twist, The Silence of Murder is gritty and intense, and it will appeal to readers who appreciate realistic depictions of criminal investigations. Mackall portrays autism with compassion and sensitivity; Hope's unerring devotion to her brother, and her ability to see beyond his disability, beautifully anchors this novel.-Lalitha Nataraj, Escondido Public Library, CA

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2011
Grades 8-12 I have never even once thought there was something wrong' with my brother, says 17-year-old Hope Long, but few people share her view. Jeremy, 18, is selectively mute, autistic, and on trial for the murder of a beloved local coach. Wherever their irresponsible alcoholic mother has taken them, Hope has always been Jeremy's advocate, but now, in order to save Jeremy from execution, she must testify to his insanity. Convinced of her brother's innocence, Hope sets out to discover the real murderer. Her investigation leads to the loss of her only friend, a forbidden romance with the sheriff's son, family secrets, and a journey of self-discovery. Hope's first-person narrative pulls readers immediately into the story as she works her way through clues and false leads to the truth. The well-plotted mystery is intriguing, and Hope's determined efforts to solve it have an authentic feel. Secondary characters are a tad one-dimensional, but Hope's compelling voice and the very real sense of danger propel the pace to a solution that will have readers talking.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2012
When her developmentally disabled brother Jeremy, who hasn't spoken in nine years, is accused of murdering the popular high school basketball coach, Hope is determined to clear his name. Hope's dedication to her brother is inspiring, but the novel suffers from uneven pacing and flat characterizations of Jeremy and the adults in the siblings' lives.

(Copyright 2012 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)