Great mixture of mystery and romance

This is the first book I have read by this author and I am pleased to find another name to add to my list of favourite writers.

The hero of this story was wrongly imprisoned for ten years since being falsely convicted, aged 18, for the rape of one woman (who had no memories of the incident and subsequently had his child) and murder of another. He has come back to the small mountain resort where he grew up, to clear his name and to become a father to his daughter, whom he has never been allowed to meet. He also wants to reconnect with his former girlfriend, who is, through a complicated twist in the tale, now guardian to his daughter.

His former girlfriend still has strong feelings for him, despite being convinced of his guilt, and it was partly due to her actions as a teenager that resulted in him being falsely accused and convicted. During most of his imprisonment she was in a long term and serious relationship with another man. It was an unusual twist in the plotline that the girlfriend had lived a fairly happy life with her boyfriend, while the hero of the story had very limited sexual experience due to his ten years in prison.

The crime of 10 years ago involved many people both directly and indirectly and the hero deliberately set out to provoke everyone into memories that many of them were trying to avoid. It was interesting to hear the POV of many of those involved and to see so many shades of grey when it came to deciding guilt and innocence. For so many people it had been easier to believe that the 18 year old from “the wrong side of town” was guilty, rather than asking difficult questions from those closer to home.

The story moved along quickly, with the background of a rapidly growing forest fire adding to the tension surrounding the town. I loved how modern media played such a big role, with the hero using the media to publicise his grievances and add pressure to the guilty. So many books I read these days seem to ignore this aspect of modern life.

The final scenes were realistic, believable – and very tense. There were surprises right up until the end and the guilty parties were not entirely predictable. I liked this story. I guess if I have to gripe I suppose I was a bit annoyed that for someone so sexually inexperienced the hero did manage to be a pretty good lover but hey, this is a romance, so I can live with that!

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1 person found this helpful

TOTALLY page-audio turner!

Would you consider the audio edition of The Slow Burn of Silence to be better than the print version?

sorry only experienced audio

What does Tanya Eby and Alexander Cendese bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

The 2 performers complimented each other: strong male resonance vs the female. Unlike some readers they acted their parts and could offer a range of voices. I hate it when the reader flows one character into another without strong delineation.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes but couldn't manage it!

Any additional comments?

Had not heard of Loreth A White before and immediately wanted another story set in this small town. Will definitely keep an eye for more from this author who, clearly from reviews on line, has had a big impact with this novel. Well done LAW is what I say.

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Excellent read

Super story. Enjoyed the storyline, well written and characters brought to life. Will try to f I nd more

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Painful and predictable

I bought this book as l have enjoyed other books by this author but oh dear this one was really poor.
The storyline was weak and the ending predictable. Sorry to be so negative 👎

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New fan

A gripping read really enjoyable, had not heard of this author but will be looking out for more

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Predictable

Predictable , soppy slush too long if cut by a third would be a lot better

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