Every Silent Thing

by Alan Brenham

Shy and deaf, twenty-three-year-old Claire Deveraux has worked hard to land her dream job as a foreign service officer at the U.S. Embassy in Paris. Yet her idyllic life is shattered when she finds a woman lying on the restroom floor dying from a gunshot wound. The dying woman utters three words to Claire and conceals a thumb drive in Claire’s pocket. The items are keys to the location of proceeds from a bank robbery. The killer, certain Claire now has sole possession of those items, must find her, recover the code words and the drive, then kill her before she can solve the puzzle and recover the money. Knowing he is determined to find and kill her, Claire must do whatever she can to keep her heart beating.

Genres: Suspense

267 pages, Hardcover

First published September 22, 2023

About the author

Alan Brenham is the pseudonym of Alan Behr, an American author and attorney.
He served as a law enforcement officer before earning a law degree from Baylor University and worked as a prosecutor and criminal defense attorney for twenty-two years.
Alan began his writing craft by studying novels by Michael McGarrity, James Hayman, and Michael Connelly.
He has authored ten crime fiction novels. Alan and his wife, Lillian, currently live in the Central Texas area.

Reviews

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting new series with a trio of unlikely personalities who are once orphaned triplets. Each one has their own issues and strengths as well as bad guys hunting them. Well done!
I requested and received an EARC from BooksGoSocial/Brenham Publishing via NetGalley. Thank you!

[Douglas Cobb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every Silent Thing, by author Alan Brenham, is a terrific read for all fans of the mystery genre. It was my first encounter reading anything by Brenham, but I hope it won’t be my last, for I totally enjoyed reading this novel. Now, also knowing that Every Silent Thing is the first of a trilogy of mystery novels featuring the shy and deaf twenty-three-year-old Claire Deveraux, who works as a foreign service officer at the U.S. Embassy in Paris, makes me want to check out the other two books is the series.

Right from the first page of Every Silent Thing, before I knew anything about the book, I felt myself drawn into the rapidly unfolding plot by the author’s style of writing. Deveraux witnesses an apparent murderer enter a women’s restroom at the Louvre, just before a woman does the same. When the man leaves a few minutes later, he locks eyes with Deveraux. Claire looks away, briefly, and the man melts into the crowd.

So, of course, what does Deveraux do, but let her curiosity get the better of her. She wonders about the woman who had entered the restroom but hadn’t yet come out of it. Upon entering the restroom, Claire sees a woman bleeding to death on the tiled floor.

For readers who dislike reading about any potential spoilers, don’t worry. I’ll try to limit them, but here are a few, so fair warning:

1.) Claire Deveraux is one of a set of triplets. Her two siblings are Megan and Boyd.
2.) Every Silent Thing contains a lot of knowledge about Europe in it and also great chase scenes.
3.) Claire’s identical appearance to her sister results in cases of mistaken identity.

The murder of the woman is tied into an international crime cartel. I enjoyed reading about how Claire Deveraux deals with the situation she finds herself in. Another spoiler: Megan’s ex-boyfriend, Randy, gets killed after getting into a dispute over stolen diamonds. Randy’s death prompts Megan to flee to Paris.

Oh, yeah — one further spoiler: Their brother, Boyd, gets kidnapped by these nasty cartel members, who think that Megan somehow has the stolen diamonds. These are just a few examples of some of the other plot intricacies author Alan Brenham weaves into this fine novel. I highly recommend that if you love reading terrific mysteries, check out Brenham’s book, Every Silent Thing. If you haven’t read Every Silent Thing yet, add it to your reading lists today!

[Jill Rey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three French words, a flash drive, and a dead woman. That’s more than Claire expected out of her day photographing the Louvre, but it’s the strong kick off to author Alan Brenham’s book “Every Silent Thing.” And yet, that’s not even the most exciting part of this read. It’s the family dynamics and messes her family members find themselves in that make this such a speedy read.

Claire Deveraux works for the U.S. Embassy in Paris, France. Originally from Texas, she has an identical twin sister and twin brother, a family of adopted triplets. Claire though, lives a life of silence. Deaf, with the ability to lip read and sign, she lives every day extra aware in her silent surroundings. Being hunted by the Louvre killer is enough for any single woman in a foreign country, but add to that the trouble her sister, Megan, finds herself in and Claire is increasingly in danger.

From the other side of the world Megan watches her boyfriend get shot to death, stealing the heisted diamonds, and running from the murderers. With nowhere else to turn, Megan buys a one-way ticket to France. Dragging her identical twin into her decisions can prove to be a fatal flaw as she tries to outrun her mistakes.

I love a strong female lead. Add in a disability and representation for those that are deaf or hard of hearing and “Every Silent Thing” was an instant draw. Author Alan Brenham does a fantastic job opening readers’ eyes to the world Claire navigates, her communication frustrations and even the loneliness she feels being unable to communicate outside of text or pen to paper. Furthermore, I loved Brenham’s back and forth, chapter by chapter, from hunter to hunted. This rotating point of view added to the intrigue, suspense, and thrill of the chase.

As Claire tries to escape with her own life from the Louvre killer, Megan is in her own cat and mouse chase, while their brother Boyd works to keep the family together, all while their adopted father back in Texas fights his own battles with cancer. The finale of this hunted thrill ride comes together in a way readers will never see coming. Brenham weaves so many important, realistic, challenging, and eye-opening dynamics into this first book of The Claire Deveraux Series, brace yourself as the series continues.

[Book Reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every Silent Thing by Alan Brenham immerses readers in the atmospheric setting of Paris, introducing them to Claire Deveraux, a determined twenty-three-year-old who has realized her dream of working as a foreign service officer at the U.S. Embassy. The narrative takes a suspenseful turn when Claire encounters a dying woman, who leaves her with enigmatic words and a thumb drive connected to a bank heist's proceeds. This incident thrusts Claire into a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse with a merciless killer, testing her wits and survival skills.

Alan Brenham skillfully weaves suspense, intrigue, and action, ensuring the story grips readers from the start. The inclusion of Claire's siblings, Megan and Boyd, adds a rich layer to the plot, particularly as themes of mistaken identity escalate the tension. Notably, Brenham sensitively portrays Claire's experience as a deaf person, providing an insightful and representative portrayal of the challenges faced by individuals with hearing impairments. The novel thoughtfully balances Claire's internal struggles and external conflicts, presenting her as a relatable and engaging protagonist. Every Silent Thing extends beyond the confines of a conventional thriller by delving into themes of family, identity, and redemption. The evolution of characters, especially Megan, enriches the narrative and lays the groundwork for subsequent installments in this trilogy. Brenham's storytelling prowess is evident in his vivid descriptions, compelling dialogue, and steady pacing, which maintain the story's momentum.

Every Silent Thing is a captivating mystery that will appeal to enthusiasts of the genre. Brenham's combination of rich characterization and thematic exploration positions this novel as a significant contribution to the mystery genre. The blend of suspense, family dynamics, and personal growth makes for an engaging read, leaving readers looking forward to Claire Deveraux's continuing saga.

[Bella · Rating 5 out of 5]

An irresistible international crime thriller that delivers an intoxicating mix of mystery, murder and mayhem.

Life hasn’t come easy for identical triplets Claire, Megan and Boyd Deveraux. Adopted in Texas after their biological parents died in a car crash, Claire, who is also deaf, has worked hard to land her dream job as a foreign service officer stationed in Paris. But her new life is turned on its head when she finds a woman shot in the restroom at the Louvre and realizes she may have seen the killer enter moments earlier.

Meanwhile in Fort Worth, pharmacy tech Megan discovers that her boyfriend, Randy, is involved in a dispute over stolen diamonds. After her boyfriend ends up dead, Megan flees to Paris. Meanwhile, Boyd is taken by cartel members who believe Meagan has the diamonds, a situation that could mean death for the entire family.

In Every Silent Thing, author Alan Brenham does wonders with the concept of mistaken identity. Brenham sets this up early on, when Inspector Gagne admires the identical nature of Megan and Claire’s appearance. Gagne’s sexual innuendo is only implied, but Claire uses some spicy sign language to shut him down. As the story progresses and both twins find themselves in mortal danger, their physical similarities work both for and against them.

Thanks to a stunning first chapter, the novel grips from the get-go and never lets up. But Brenham, who is clearly dedicated to developing long-term character arcs, offers far more than crime-based suspense. The book’s last third evolves Megan’s character significantly, delivering a compelling and unexpected off-ramp to the troubled life she’s led back in Texas. This development sets the stage for the entire series and will leave readers eagerly anticipating Brenham’s next entry. Bravo.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

💎Action adventure for Texan triplets✈🗼🚅

3.5🌟 stars
I found Every Silent Thing an entertaining read with a few reservations. It set a good pace and had plenty of danger, action and excitement. Claire and her triplet siblings Boyd and Megan just fall from one dangerous situation to the next, with thugs, cartel kingpins, thieves and contract killers chasing them all over Europe after a disastrous, botched division of robbery takings in Texas and a mysterious murder in a public restroom at the Louvre Museum in Paris.

The part that just rang too fantastic and not based in reality was the part involving Claire's work at the Embassy. She's very young and a neophyte yet by story's end she's supposedly risen in the ranks to a position of authority. Just not realistic. And there was very little depth to the characters, especially their nagging adoptive mother Annika and her critically ill husband. Finally, I could not believe the rate Claire is purchasing and eating large quantities of French pastries! In fact, it's her addiction to pastries that puts her in reach of the guys chasing her more than once.

But I have to hand it to the author for not shying away from dire endings for some characters that cut close to Claire.

Thanks to BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

[Soozee · Rating 4 out of 5]

The premise of this book is that Claire is a triplet (one sister Megan and one brother Brody), orphaned very young and brought up by a strict family. Claire is profoundly deaf, but has made a good life and is currently working for the American Embassy in Paris. Her sister Megan is different, always challenging, always rebelling.

Megan's boyfriend steals diamonds, but is killed in front of her so she takes the diamonds, but finds herself on the run as some serious criminals want them back. Meanwhile Claire has stumbled into a ladies' toilet at the airport only to find a woman dying of a gunshot wound, who whispers three words and passes on something.

There begins some serious chasing, as the cartel want Megan and the murderer wants whatever Claire was given. Its a fun roller coaster, perhaps not very believable that two sisters could get into such trouble and play off each side to try to get out of the mess. But its a good read and I enjoyed it enough to look for the sequel. Good to see a main character with a disability who doesn't make that their main attribute.

Thank you to NetGalley and Books go Social for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Heather Barksdale · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Every Silent Thing” is the first in a trilogy of mystery books but was reviewed as a standalone. The book introduces Claire Deveraux, a deaf young woman, one of three triplets. Claire is 23, has her dream job at the US Embassy, and is living in Paris. She’s doing great and loving her life, until a picture-taking expedition at the Louvre turns bad.

Overall, I enjoyed this story. Told through multiple POVs, including Claire’s, she’s a likable, intelligent, and emotionally complex main protagonist. She’s caring, but guarded. Her character’s complicated by her complex relationship with her family and her underlying deafness. Her sister, Megan, is not so likable. Finding herself in a terrible situation, I really wanted to be on her side. Find the full blog review at heatherlbarksdale.com

I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.

[Lisette Brodey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book I’ve read by this author, and I really enjoy his work.

In this series (this novel), the main character is a young deaf woman, Claire Deveraux, who’s working in Paris at the US Embassy. When she witnesses a crime at the Louvre, her life changes in unimaginable ways.

The author does a wonderful job weaving a shocking story from Claire’s family in Texas with her current situation in Paris, illustrating how all aspects of one’s life (and the lives of others) can easily become tangled together. I really liked the thriller aspects combined with personal aspects. Together, the author does a great job in untangled a mystery with twists you won’t see coming.

[Carey Mundy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow what an exciting book the I thoroughly enjoyed! Claire is deaf and works as a foreign service officer in Paris. When she sees a woman who has been murdered in a restroom of the Louvre, and can identify the killer, the race is on. It takes on a new level when her identical Twin sister gets involved in a heist of diamonds back in Texas. As these two stories enter-twine, the reader is taken on a journey across Europe at breakneck speed. Thoroughly loved it and moving onto the next in this series!

[Marcia Whoolery · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just couldn't get over the unbelievable circumstances or likelihood that these tiny women could reek such havoc on professional killers.

[Reader Views · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Every Silent Thing” by Alan Brenham is book one in The Claire Deveraux series that takes readers into the world of twenty-three-year-old Claire Deveraux. She is deaf and has worked hard to land her dream job as a foreign services officer at the U.S. Embassy in Paris. While at the Louvre one day, Claire discovers a woman lying on the floor of the women’s restroom dying from a gunshot wound. With her dying breath, the woman utters three words and slips a thumb drive into Claire’s pocket, which happens to have the location of money taken during a bank robbery. The killer, who briefly locked eyes with Claire as he was leaving the restroom, is sure she has that information. Her once peaceful life now consists of police interrogations and trying to evade the killer who is determined to find her, get the information, and kill her.

Meanwhile in Texas, Claire’s twin sister Megan witnesses the murder of her boyfriend Randy in a dispute over stolen diamonds. Before the killers have a chance to hurt her, she steals the diamonds and runs off to Paris, surprising Claire at her apartment. Enter Boyd, the third of the Deveraux triplets, who goes after Megan and gets entangled in the drama. So begins their harrowing journey across Europe that involves evading multiple killers while Claire tries to solve the mystery of the thumb drive before it is too late.

With “Every Silent Thing,” Brenham gives readers an excellent insight into the life of a deaf woman navigating the world of the hearing, complete with how difficult and frustrating it must be to communicate when there is no one around who can sign. To top it off, Claire is thrown into the middle of an investigation as a witness.

I was drawn to this novel because it involves a mystery set in Paris and was immediately hooked from the first sentence: It wasn’t every day Claire Deveraux saw a man enter the woman’s restroom and could not wait to find out what happened next. The streets of Paris come alive with action, which is highly dialogue-driven, and even simple scenery, like a lake, is brilliantly described:

The slate-covered lake was calm, like a large sheet of glass.

With language that is easy to understand, the fast-paced action flows naturally through the pages.

The story takes place between May and June with chapters that begin with the day and date, making it appear as a journal, but the narration point of view occasionally changes from Megan to Claire. With the siblings’ deep character development, the author proves that even triplets can have different personalities. Megan comes off as a hardheaded troublemaker intent on getting her way regardless of who gets hurt.

She raced for the stairs, feeling vibrations from heavy footfalls coming behind her. She scampered down the stairs to the first landing and vaulted over the railing to the parking lot.

The cat-and-mouse aspect of the mystery is exciting, although the ending feels a bit rushed. Since this is a series, hopefully, subsequent books will address Claire’s troubled relationship with her adopted mom, and most importantly, explain why they were adopted given the circumstances. Overall, “Every Silent Thing” by Alan Brenham is filled with nonstop chases across Europe, flawed and complex characters, and plenty of plot twists. It is recommended for fans of international mystery novels with strong female lead characters.

[Ciclochick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first read a book by this author nine years ago (Price of Justice), and my review of it reminded me how much I enjoyed it, so I had no hesitation at all picking up another by him. It's another fast-paced thriller.

There are murders on opposite sides of the world, there's a missing USB stick, cartel thugs, the Eiffel Tower, three random French words and triplets, one of whom is deaf. So…how are they all connected? A seemingly difficult-to-solve puzzle for the reader, but it all unfurls strategically with a lot of suspense and action to move it along at a cracking pace.

There's rather a lot more 'telling' than 'showing', and I did feel some difficult, tragic even, events needed more emotional display by the characters. Nonetheless, this is a thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining novel that keeps you on your toes, wondering how the main protagonists are going to keep a life-saving distance from the ruthless baddies…there are a lot of train rides involved, that's for sure!