Conspiracy of Silence

by Martha Powers

USA Today best-selling author

On a sunny day in July, Clare Prentice arrives in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. Although she is on assignment to interview the town's notoriously reclusive novelist Nate Hanssen, Clare is really in search of a different story-her story.Just months before, Clare was a bride-to-be, living in Chicago, and looking to the future.until the day she learned her entire life had been a lie.Not only was Clare adopted, but there is no record that she or her adoptive mother ever existed. The only clue is a class ring from Grand Rapids Senior High School. Unable to get on with her future until she reconciles her past, Clare breaks off her engagement.Unraveling the mystery is like trying to sculpt fog-until the first piece of the puzzle unexpectedly drops into Clare's birth mother, Lily Gundersen, was murdered in Grand Rapids.Lily's murder was one of the most talked-about events in the town's history, but no one is talking now. Clare doesn't know the whole story - and someone intends to keep it that way.

Genres: Mystery, Suspense, Romance, Fiction, Romantic Suspense, Mystery Thriller, Thriller

340 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 1, 2008

Reviews

[Jackie]

To me, this is a great story told very badly. The premise of a woman discovering she's adopted after the death of her single mother is very intruiging. A small town locked down with secrets from a 25 year old scandal is promising. But the writing is so clunky it was a chore to get through the whole book. It didn't surprise me to learn that Powers is the author of nine Regency romances--it surprised me more that anyone would see this book as anything more than that sort of pulp fiction. I'm deeply puzzled by the fact that it is an IndyBound pick for this month, which is the main reason it made it to the top of my "to read" pile. Everything comes too easily--friendships, love, information. The heroine LITERALLY swoons at least 4 times during the course of the book (often with a man there to pick her up and wipe her tears with a hankerchief), and we find out far more about what she's wearing, eating for breakfast, or how her drink makes her feel than we do about important plot development points or any sort of indepth character traits of any of the characters. All in all, this was an extremely disappointing book to me.

[Kim]

I agree completely with the reviewer "Jackie"'s comments. This was a great plot which was the only reason I kept reading. The writing was poot. The writer included a multitude of small details that were boring and added nothing to story, or sense of time and place. The people repeatedly acted out of character - although since character development was almost non-existent, it's surprising that this was so obvious. It felt like the author wrote an outline of the story and then made everything fit that outline, even though it didn't make sense or fit with characters.

[Julie]

I was waffling between 3 stars or 4 as I got towards the last part of this book. But the buildup of suspense was breathtaking and I had really missed the mark on "whodunnit " (which always delights me to be surprised).
We all know there are going to be surprises when someone goes searching for their true biological parents. In this case however there is a dark secret that the entire town is trying to cover up. When Clare meets a woman who whispers she has information for her, before they can meet this woman has a fatal accident falling down concrete stairs. Everyone knows it to be an accident, but was it? Clare is suspicious. And when Clare comes close to fatal accidents not once but twice, she is truly frightened. Who can she trust? Or should she just leave and try to forget about her past? You'll have to read this one.

[Gail Baird]

Entertainment

This story is strictly for entertainment. It won't win any literary achievement but I enjoyed the story. The ending was as I hoped. It's a good Hallmark story.

[Marley]

And you think your adoption search is bad! Meet Clare Prentice, Late Discovery Adoptee. It's bad enough when you're 28 and learn that your adopted, but when it turns out there's no evidence that your adoptive mother existed either, you know you're in for a bad time. Thus, we find ourselves going on a 2-week "vacation" in search of the truth in sealed records Minnesota. Mysterious things start to happen. You get broken in to. A woman who seems to have information about your origins ends up dead. Somebody tries to run you over. Yeah, those adoption agencies can be really hard on you. Unless you weren't even adopted.

I didn't expect much from this book (It was free, so I took it) and was pleasantly surprised I don't think the author knows much about adoptees or searches. Clare supposedly a was also a writer/reporter certainly seemed incurious about things and didn't follow up on obviously family clues. She also didn't know jack about history. Nonetheless, I really liked the premise of the book, and was willing to suspend my belief. As adoptees we all know we've been lied to, so what's a little more of it. Unfortunately, I found Clare a bit of a dip..and hey...how (and why) did she haul all those clothes up to Grand Rapids? It's a good thing she drove, not flew. Gotta say my favorite characters were Waldo and the bratty Erika. Nate seemed to need a drink at every turn, and by the end, Clare was catching up to him.

[Julie]

I picked this one up from the kindle lending library.
Clare had big wedding plans until she found a lump in her breast. After extensive test her doctor gives her a clean bill of health. But, then she drops a bombshell on Clare. She wants Clare to find out about her family history because she was a adopted.
Now, Clare had called off her wedding and has traveled to Grand Rapids on the pretense of doing an article for a magazine. While this is partially true, Clare is really on a mission to find out who her birth parents are.
Clare finds out the tragic story of her parents and begins to try to find answers about what actually took places 25 years ago. However, not everyone is pleased about Clare's investigation into the past.
Disturbed by troubling dreams and snatches of memory, Clare gets support and help from an unlikely source or two.

The mystery surrounding Clare's past is interesting. Small town secrets and lies are always fun.
This is a fast read. Nothing too heavy or earth shaking, but a nice afternoon mystery read. Enjoyable enough.
I rate this one a B-.

[Jane]

The pace of the book is really slow. Unlike some other novels I’ve recently read, this book didn’t make me turn the pages like crazy. Too many unnecessary details. The author even gives us a History course! For some reason the main character starts to remember everything she can about the 60s, which had nothing to do with the plot… I wonder was it bragging of knowledge in US History field or the author just wanted to make the book longer. The same thing happens with lots of interior\exterior details, too many chats, long descriptions of what the main character wears and what she eats.

The plot revolves around a reporter who’s going to a town to do an interview with a famous writer and at the same time to try to find out what happened to her parents. However, she manages to get to the writer just by the two fourths of the novel, I guess she’s not very professional? What’s next is this writer happened to live in the same house where her birth parents lived, which was a good twist. However, the other part of the novel is all about relationships, feelings, talks and dating, as if I bought a book in a romantic genre and not a thriller/mystery. But I did bought thriller as it was said in the blurb. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have noticed this book since I hate sentimental, full of blah-blahs and lacking action stories.

However, it was good in the part about a false mystery solving near the end – it was a good twist and would’ve been an excellent ending, but, unfortunately, it wasn’t the ending, and by the time you learn who the killer is you’ve already forgotten all the characters because they are far from interesting.

[Renee Kamenszki]

Certainly enjoyed this book. What starts out as a woman after her mother passes of cancer consenting to a needle biopsy to ensure she is cancer free. After the negative results, the doctor advises Clare to check her biological parents' medical history. What a shock after coming to grips with the passing of the only woman she has known as her mother, Rose being her adoptive mother. Not something that is easy to accept at any time but when you are twenty-nine?
Clare returns to Roses and her hometown only to discover she is actually the daughter of a murdered mother and a father that killed her. The twist and turns in this book keep you guessing.
Received this book free in exchange for my review.

[Heather Gilmour]

An interesting read about a woman who finds out at age 25 that her life has been based on a lie. She goes in search of her identity and discovers that her background is shrouded in mystery. There is a murder in her family of origin that has let up the lie of her life. She is determined to dig into that murder to find out who she is. Good development of plat and character. A satisfying read.

[Doreen Richards]

Interesting premise but the telling of the story itself did not keep me up at night just so I could finish the story. And I want to shake the protagonist for being so stupid as to take off by herself to check something out. Really?

[Tan]

I did not finish this. The main character was childish and the rest of the cast right out of Scooby Doo, only with incest. I know this because I listened to the last half hour so that Audible would mark it finished.

[Loretta Wright]

On the edge of my chair

Really enjoyed this book. I don't think I have read this author before but the story kept me intrigued, with continuous events every step of the way. I will be excited to read another one of her books.

[Karen Young]

Good book

This is a very good book with murder, romance and great ending although it wouldn't surprise me if the bad person shows up in another book.

The only thing is you need to read it slow because some of the words are put together in error.😀

[Bruce Humbert]

Not a very good story - made even worse by sing songy narration

[sheila ross]

An interesting intriguing read

Well considered story line. Historical fact and up to date story. Interesting characters and each one bringing story to life

[Luci]

Review

Good. Writing left something to be desired. Some surprises even towards ending of book.

[Kate]

Some pretty dreadful dialogue and quite predictable

[Janine]

This was not great with a great deal of in depth descriptions of food eaten, clothes worn and a lot of swooning by the main character.

[JoAnn]

Great!!!

A book you can't put down. Highly recommend it. I will look for more books by this author! Loved it!

[Carolyn Klawuhn]

Another good exciting book

This book was well written and contained mystery, action and warmth. The characters are lovable and the setting is beautifully described.

[Debra]

My book club read for May. Everyone read it and good discussion.

[Cynthia Kauffmann]

new reveal at the end of each chapter. hard not to keep reading and reading.

[Deb Rankin-Moore]

A good time killer, as my dad appraised many of his books. Too many loose ends. The author needs a better editor.

[G Blench]

Good read

[Dee Kelly]

I enjoyed the story and the characters, but felt the storytelling fell short. It seemed a bit cliche in parts and clunky. I think the delivery just left me wanting a little more.

[Cheryl Spooner]

This book was awesome. From page one you did not want to put it down.

[Ann Bredemeier]

the twists and turns just kept coming...i enjoyed the book...I was disappointed that I had picked out the villain way too early...the setting was good and details of the area were good...

[LaRae Scheidemantle]

good read

I don’t know what to say about this book other than it was a good book, held my attention and was an easy read that I enjoyed!

[Peg]

When a women finds out she’s adopted and begins the search for her true identity, she finds more than she bargained for.

[nancy cashmere]

READ!!

Excellent story line. Perfect mix of suspense, mystery and romance. I recommend this book to anyone who likes a straight forward story.