What do you think?
Rate this book
Snowy Creek #1
The Slow Burn of Silence
From the crossroads of small town mystery and dark suspense comes a romance that explores the bonds of family, the power of love, and the potentially explosive collateral damage of the secrets we keep... Sometimes a contract to forget can be as powerful as a promise to remember...
---
An ex-con, wrongfully convicted of a heinous crime, returns to a small mountain town determined to prove his innocence, reclaim the heart of the woman who helped put him behind bars, and win back the right to meet the daughter he learned about in prison. But his arrival stirs up dark secrets and re-ignites a fierce and consuming passion that just might get the woman he loves, and his child, killed.
---
Nine years ago Rachel Salonen and Jeb Cullen were soul mates--deeply, irrevocably in love. Until the night two young women went missing from a party in the woods. One was found raped, beaten and pregnant with no memory of what happened. The other is still missing. A small mountain community was torn apart and a young relationship shattered when nineteen-year-old Jeb was arrested for the heinous crime, and Rachel was forced to help put the man she loved behind bars. Now, nine years later, Rachel believes she's finally put the past to rest when her sister dies suddenly in a fire and she's made guardian of her adopted niece. A child, she learns, who was conceived that terrible night of violence, a child whose DNA was used to convict Jeb. And when Jeb is unexpectedly released from max security, Rachel sees that the past has only just begun... ... Because Jeb has come straight home to Snowy Creek. To prove his innocence, reclaim his life, his home. And to meet the daughter he learned about in prison. A daughter Rachel will do anything to protect. And when the town turns violently on Jeb, Rachel will once again be forced to take sides. This time she chooses with her heart. But her decision could cost everything she holds dear--including her niece's life. Because someone in town will do anything to keep the truth buried...even kill.
---
An ex-con, wrongfully convicted of a heinous crime, returns to a small mountain town determined to prove his innocence, reclaim the heart of the woman who helped put him behind bars, and win back the right to meet the daughter he learned about in prison. But his arrival stirs up dark secrets and re-ignites a fierce and consuming passion that just might get the woman he loves, and his child, killed.
---
Nine years ago Rachel Salonen and Jeb Cullen were soul mates--deeply, irrevocably in love. Until the night two young women went missing from a party in the woods. One was found raped, beaten and pregnant with no memory of what happened. The other is still missing. A small mountain community was torn apart and a young relationship shattered when nineteen-year-old Jeb was arrested for the heinous crime, and Rachel was forced to help put the man she loved behind bars. Now, nine years later, Rachel believes she's finally put the past to rest when her sister dies suddenly in a fire and she's made guardian of her adopted niece. A child, she learns, who was conceived that terrible night of violence, a child whose DNA was used to convict Jeb. And when Jeb is unexpectedly released from max security, Rachel sees that the past has only just begun... ... Because Jeb has come straight home to Snowy Creek. To prove his innocence, reclaim his life, his home. And to meet the daughter he learned about in prison. A daughter Rachel will do anything to protect. And when the town turns violently on Jeb, Rachel will once again be forced to take sides. This time she chooses with her heart. But her decision could cost everything she holds dear--including her niece's life. Because someone in town will do anything to keep the truth buried...even kill.
424 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 27, 2013
2378 people are currently reading
3526 people want to read
About the author
Loreth Anne White
93 books7,185 followersLoreth Anne White is an Amazon Charts, Washington Post, and Bild bestselling author of thrillers, mysteries, and suspense. With over 3 million books sold around the world, she is an ITW thriller award finalist, a three-time RITA finalist, an overall Daphne du Maurier Award winner, Arthur Ellis finalist, and winner of multiple industry awards.
A recovering journalist who has worked in both South Africa and Canada, she now calls Canada home. She resides in the Pacific Northwest, dividing time between Victoria on Vancouver Island, a ski resort in the Coast Mountains, and a rustic lakeside cabin in the Cariboo.
When she’s not writing or dreaming up plots, you will find her on the lakes, in the ocean, or on the trails with her dog where she tries—unsuccessfully—to avoid bears. For more information on her books please visit her website at lorethannewhite.com
Connect with her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Loreth.Anne....
On Twitter: https://twitter.com/Loreth
Or via Instagram: lorethannewhite
Visit her at www.lorethannewhite.com
A recovering journalist who has worked in both South Africa and Canada, she now calls Canada home. She resides in the Pacific Northwest, dividing time between Victoria on Vancouver Island, a ski resort in the Coast Mountains, and a rustic lakeside cabin in the Cariboo.
When she’s not writing or dreaming up plots, you will find her on the lakes, in the ocean, or on the trails with her dog where she tries—unsuccessfully—to avoid bears. For more information on her books please visit her website at lorethannewhite.com
Connect with her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Loreth.Anne....
On Twitter: https://twitter.com/Loreth
Or via Instagram: lorethannewhite
Visit her at www.lorethannewhite.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 421 reviews
June 2, 2018
Loreth Anne White isn’t an author that skimps on the details; that's just one of the many things I enjoy about her writing. With the Slow Burn of Silence, she delves deep and delivers complex characters, a plot full of jarring twists, and secrets upon secrets—all set against the picturesque backdrop of a small Canadian ski town.
Snowy Creek is rife with coverups and deceit. But it’s not something everyone is privy to. In fact, the entire town is up in arms when the resident outcast, Jeb Cullen, is released on a technicality after a nine year stint for kidnapping, murder and the brutal rape of two of his classmates. The town convicted him, so obviously they believe he’s the one responsible. The kicker, he’s actually innocent. The author never hides that fact from the reader. In that aspect, you know how the ending should play out, but you don’t know how the pieces all fit together or the lengths those involved will go to keep the truth hidden.
What I didn’t get in the beginning was Rachel’s stance. How could she turn her back on her soulmate? The one person in the entire world she was most connected to; it just didn’t make sense to me. I would have expected her to be more vocal about it. I imagined myself being so hurt and angry, I would visit him and demand some sort of answers. But looking back, I could see it was her anger at his rejection that pushed her in the arms of the guys that always treated Jeb like an outsider.
When she finds out who was supporting his appeal, it was a punch to gut—for both of us. How could that person keep it secret from Rachel? It pulled everything together in such an interesting way and it wiped away all of Rachel's lingering doubt.
Ms. White matches the intensity of the suspense with just the right amount of romance. I instantly loved Rachel and Jeb together. Even though Rachel hurt Jeb, in the worst possible way, he was still a standup guy—he loved her through it all. And seeing him with Quinn made my heart flutter. I couldn't have asked for a better ending.
I listened to the audio version of this book and with her performance, Tanya Eby has landed a spot on my list of favorite narrators. Listening was so enjoyable, I found myself making excuses to squeeze in more time.
Snowy Creek is rife with coverups and deceit. But it’s not something everyone is privy to. In fact, the entire town is up in arms when the resident outcast, Jeb Cullen, is released on a technicality after a nine year stint for kidnapping, murder and the brutal rape of two of his classmates. The town convicted him, so obviously they believe he’s the one responsible. The kicker, he’s actually innocent. The author never hides that fact from the reader. In that aspect, you know how the ending should play out, but you don’t know how the pieces all fit together or the lengths those involved will go to keep the truth hidden.
What I didn’t get in the beginning was Rachel’s stance. How could she turn her back on her soulmate? The one person in the entire world she was most connected to; it just didn’t make sense to me. I would have expected her to be more vocal about it. I imagined myself being so hurt and angry, I would visit him and demand some sort of answers. But looking back, I could see it was her anger at his rejection that pushed her in the arms of the guys that always treated Jeb like an outsider.
When she finds out who was supporting his appeal, it was a punch to gut—for both of us. How could that person keep it secret from Rachel? It pulled everything together in such an interesting way and it wiped away all of Rachel's lingering doubt.
Ms. White matches the intensity of the suspense with just the right amount of romance. I instantly loved Rachel and Jeb together. Even though Rachel hurt Jeb, in the worst possible way, he was still a standup guy—he loved her through it all. And seeing him with Quinn made my heart flutter. I couldn't have asked for a better ending.
I listened to the audio version of this book and with her performance, Tanya Eby has landed a spot on my list of favorite narrators. Listening was so enjoyable, I found myself making excuses to squeeze in more time.
February 4, 2019
3.5 Stars
May 4, 2020
A suspenseful winner!
Nine Years ago, Jeb Cullen went to prison for the rape of one woman and the disappearance of another one. The survivor lost her memory of the events during the attack but she became pregnant with his child, Quinn. Jeb always claimed he was innocent. He admitted he had a consensual sexual encounter with Amy Findlay but he remembers driving Amy and her friend, Merilee Zukanov in his car to an intersection, and then the women asked him to let them out, which he was happy to do. He remembers driving away, getting to his house, and then crashing on his bed until the next day.
Jeb's girlfriend at that time, Rachel Salonen, didn't believe him. She and the testimony of four other men sealed Jeb's future. He was sent to prison. Now, Jeb has been let go on a technicality and he's back in Snowy Creek to set the record straight. He wants his daughter back and to get her, he needs to prove his innocence. He knows those four men lied but he doesn't know why. He's back to rattle some cages and get to the bottom of the events that occurred during that awful night.
As a fan of Loreth Anne White, I might be biased but I thought The Slow Burn of Silence was just one huge success. From the very beginning to the last page, this reader couldn't get enough. There was so much suspense and you never knew who was going to attack next. In the last few chapters, it was aa delight to see all the dominoes falling.
Of note, even though, this book says it's a part of a series, I could only find one. I wonder if she's ever going to revisit some of the characters who were left in this one. I believe she has plenty of material to go back and write about Annie Pirello.
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
August 8, 2016
This was originally released as Pieces of You and was my first book by Loreth Anne White. It's a fast-paced romantic suspense story with the emphasis on suspense. There is one mild sex scene. As a trigger warning: it contains a rather horrific description of a serious sexual assault.
Jeb spent nine years behind bars for a crime he didn't commit. Following his release, he returns to his hometown to confront the group of people whose testimonies helped convict him, including his former girlfriend, Rachel. Great story if you like to root for the underdog.
There are multiple perspectives, which worked pretty well, except for the fact that Rachel's perspective is in the first person and all the others in the third person. Otherwise, this was really well written. Jeb maybe came across as too well adjusted considering what he had been through but overall the characters were well-drawn.
Audio narration by Tanya Eby was fantastic as ever. Alexander Cendese was great as well. However, I think this would have worked even better if the narration had been interlaced with the male narrator doing all the male characters and the female character the female ones. Also, Alexander Cendese's parts were quieter than Tanya Eby's. Really annoying if you're trying to do other stuff while listening and have to keep adjusting the volume.
Jeb spent nine years behind bars for a crime he didn't commit. Following his release, he returns to his hometown to confront the group of people whose testimonies helped convict him, including his former girlfriend, Rachel. Great story if you like to root for the underdog.
There are multiple perspectives, which worked pretty well, except for the fact that Rachel's perspective is in the first person and all the others in the third person. Otherwise, this was really well written. Jeb maybe came across as too well adjusted considering what he had been through but overall the characters were well-drawn.
Audio narration by Tanya Eby was fantastic as ever. Alexander Cendese was great as well. However, I think this would have worked even better if the narration had been interlaced with the male narrator doing all the male characters and the female character the female ones. Also, Alexander Cendese's parts were quieter than Tanya Eby's. Really annoying if you're trying to do other stuff while listening and have to keep adjusting the volume.
September 4, 2020
3.5 stars
I liked this one but not as much as some of the author's other books. The H was too forgiving of some of the betrayals that sent him to jail for 10 years for a crime he did not commit. The guilty party or parties did not get the comeuppance or retribution they so richly deserved.
I liked this one but not as much as some of the author's other books. The H was too forgiving of some of the betrayals that sent him to jail for 10 years for a crime he did not commit. The guilty party or parties did not get the comeuppance or retribution they so richly deserved.
June 28, 2014
An intricate maze that starts with a single person accused of a heinous crime at the beginning of this mystery but soon branches off into a labyrinth of directions that wind down to the center of the truth leaving a wake of collateral damage.
Nine years ago Jeb Cullen was convicted of crime he didn’t commit. A multitude of people testified against him including his best friend who was also the only woman he has ever loved.
When Jed gets released early based on some discrepancies brought to light he vows to return to Snowy Creek and prove his innocence even knowing he is going to get strong opposition from everyone in the small town most of all from all of those that testified against him.
Rachel Salonen thought she and Jed would be together forever until he was arrested for the murder of one girl and the brutal rape of another. Rachel’s testimony about what happened that night and about something dark from his past helped put in him jail. Since then she has moved on and is engaged but when her sister and her husband are killed she is suddenly made guardian of there 9 year adopted daughter and her life takes a different turn.
The author gives us some clues right away as to who some characters are and how they came to be and for the rest little by little she unravels a intricate web with a large cast of characters and many POV’s until all points intersect at the end with insidious effects.
The intricate plot kept me turning to pages and wanting to see how all of these lives that were affected by one night nine years ago were going to collide and what the outcome would be.
Nine years ago Jeb Cullen was convicted of crime he didn’t commit. A multitude of people testified against him including his best friend who was also the only woman he has ever loved.
When Jed gets released early based on some discrepancies brought to light he vows to return to Snowy Creek and prove his innocence even knowing he is going to get strong opposition from everyone in the small town most of all from all of those that testified against him.
Rachel Salonen thought she and Jed would be together forever until he was arrested for the murder of one girl and the brutal rape of another. Rachel’s testimony about what happened that night and about something dark from his past helped put in him jail. Since then she has moved on and is engaged but when her sister and her husband are killed she is suddenly made guardian of there 9 year adopted daughter and her life takes a different turn.
The author gives us some clues right away as to who some characters are and how they came to be and for the rest little by little she unravels a intricate web with a large cast of characters and many POV’s until all points intersect at the end with insidious effects.
The intricate plot kept me turning to pages and wanting to see how all of these lives that were affected by one night nine years ago were going to collide and what the outcome would be.
November 21, 2016
While reading this book I had the scene in my mind: a snow-ball rolling down a snow covered slope and getting bigger and bigger until it smashes againt a hut and destoys it completly!
That was how the action in this book went: a slow, slow start with a lot od descriptions, then some action was added, then more action and then, BANG, the action was non-stop and everything strated unravelling like crazy!
A very good RS that I would recomment to everybody who enjoys it!
That was how the action in this book went: a slow, slow start with a lot od descriptions, then some action was added, then more action and then, BANG, the action was non-stop and everything strated unravelling like crazy!
A very good RS that I would recomment to everybody who enjoys it!
February 11, 2015
This book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Loreth Anne White appears to be an author who is trying to climb out of the Harlequin Romance morass with this very edgy romantic-suspense, Pieces of You. The plot rips the bucolic cover off a small ski village and uncovers prejudice and elitism that sent a young man to prison for crimes he did not commit. The story goes off in many different directions and holds you so you don't want to put it down. Lots of layers and a true mystery until about 1/2 way through, then you get a really hot romance and edge of the seat suspense. If you like Nora Roberts and Sandra Brown, you will love this book. It is far superior to a lot of authors I have read.
"When does something begin and end?" On a fall night some 10 years ago a bunch of teens and young adults gathered at the pit, an old quarry, to drink and carouse. Rachel and Jeb, childhood friends whose friendship has developed into love, fight that night and Jeb hooks up with Amy. Amy and Merilee are last seen with Jeb. Amy is found wandering 2 weeks later, Merilee is never seen again. Jeb is convicted and sent to prison, based on Amy's being pregnant with Jeb's child and testimony from several others, including Rachel. Years later he is released on a technicality. Jeb returns to Snowy Creek to reclaim his life, his child and Rachel. He also needs to find out who the guilty party is before they can kill him.
Loreth Anne White appears to be an author who is trying to climb out of the Harlequin Romance morass with this very edgy romantic-suspense, Pieces of You. The plot rips the bucolic cover off a small ski village and uncovers prejudice and elitism that sent a young man to prison for crimes he did not commit. The story goes off in many different directions and holds you so you don't want to put it down. Lots of layers and a true mystery until about 1/2 way through, then you get a really hot romance and edge of the seat suspense. If you like Nora Roberts and Sandra Brown, you will love this book. It is far superior to a lot of authors I have read.
"When does something begin and end?" On a fall night some 10 years ago a bunch of teens and young adults gathered at the pit, an old quarry, to drink and carouse. Rachel and Jeb, childhood friends whose friendship has developed into love, fight that night and Jeb hooks up with Amy. Amy and Merilee are last seen with Jeb. Amy is found wandering 2 weeks later, Merilee is never seen again. Jeb is convicted and sent to prison, based on Amy's being pregnant with Jeb's child and testimony from several others, including Rachel. Years later he is released on a technicality. Jeb returns to Snowy Creek to reclaim his life, his child and Rachel. He also needs to find out who the guilty party is before they can kill him.
August 2, 2013
“Oh what a tangled web we weave. When first we practice to deceive” quote by Sir Walter Scott, is the quotation that comes to mind when trying to describe PIECES OF YOU by Loreth Anne White.
And what a web it was! What started out as a small sliver, was quickly woven into a web that traps and destroys everyone what crosses its path.
Pieces of you, opens up full steam running with Rachel Salonen, just having discovered that her sister and Brother-in law where killed in a horrific fire and she was now sole guardian of her niece. To round out the shock of losing her sister, she finds out that her niece, who is adopted, belongs to her ex-boyfriend, the man she was deeply in love with and thought she would spend the rest of her life with him. The same man, Jeb Cullen that Rachel testifies against 9 years early at his trial for violently raping a woman, her niece’s mother. At the time he was charges with the kidnapping for two young girls, raping one and the other girl was never found. Jeb has always maintained his innocent.
From the moment, I meet Rachel my heart broke for her. To have lost so much and to have this information thrust on her. However, at the same time you see her strength, putting her personal stuff aside to do what’s best for her niece and then losing her fiancé, because he can’t stand the thought of raising a rapist's child.
Six months after Rachel and Quinn (very cool name) try to settle into their new life together, they are thrown another curve ball. Jeb has been released from prison and is back in Snowy Creek.
Rachel was lead to believe that Jeb doesn’t know that Quinn is his child, but soon encounters another shocker….Her sister has been working with The Innocence Project, trying to help clear Jeb’s name for the last 5 years and has been keeping him updated on his daughter’s life.
Jeb is back to reclaim his life and unwavering in his quest to prove to the people of Snowy Creek of his innocents. He is going to rattle some cages and find the guilty party.
I couldn’t help but also feel bad for Jeb, so much of his life stolen from him and everyone he knew turning their back on him. But I liked the fact that he hadn’t become a bitter, angry person. Was he resentful at what happen to him, Why yes, but he didn’t let it consumer his life.
Once Rachel and Jeb meet again, the chemistry between them ignites again. The love they had all those years ago has never died, but Rachel is buried under a lot of guilt, as she start seeing enough evidence that she begins to question if Jeb is really guilty or not. She is determined to help Jeb get to the truth, no matter what that truth made be.
Put on your seatbelts, because it’s one wild ride. Between the different characters that we meet and the sophisticated storyline, there wasn’t a dull moment.
Something that I personally found interesting was the different POV we get in this story. Some are in first person and some are in third person. Being able to read how so many people felt and reacted about what was happening in Snowy Creek, was fascinating to say the least.
All it takes is one small stone thrown at that web for it to unravel and that is what Pieces of me is all about. One man unraveling the secrets that has woven a tangled web of deceit in the little town of Snowy Creek and will affect so many lives.
This is a must read for any lover of romance suspense Novel.
And what a web it was! What started out as a small sliver, was quickly woven into a web that traps and destroys everyone what crosses its path.
Pieces of you, opens up full steam running with Rachel Salonen, just having discovered that her sister and Brother-in law where killed in a horrific fire and she was now sole guardian of her niece. To round out the shock of losing her sister, she finds out that her niece, who is adopted, belongs to her ex-boyfriend, the man she was deeply in love with and thought she would spend the rest of her life with him. The same man, Jeb Cullen that Rachel testifies against 9 years early at his trial for violently raping a woman, her niece’s mother. At the time he was charges with the kidnapping for two young girls, raping one and the other girl was never found. Jeb has always maintained his innocent.
From the moment, I meet Rachel my heart broke for her. To have lost so much and to have this information thrust on her. However, at the same time you see her strength, putting her personal stuff aside to do what’s best for her niece and then losing her fiancé, because he can’t stand the thought of raising a rapist's child.
Six months after Rachel and Quinn (very cool name) try to settle into their new life together, they are thrown another curve ball. Jeb has been released from prison and is back in Snowy Creek.
Rachel was lead to believe that Jeb doesn’t know that Quinn is his child, but soon encounters another shocker….Her sister has been working with The Innocence Project, trying to help clear Jeb’s name for the last 5 years and has been keeping him updated on his daughter’s life.
Jeb is back to reclaim his life and unwavering in his quest to prove to the people of Snowy Creek of his innocents. He is going to rattle some cages and find the guilty party.
I couldn’t help but also feel bad for Jeb, so much of his life stolen from him and everyone he knew turning their back on him. But I liked the fact that he hadn’t become a bitter, angry person. Was he resentful at what happen to him, Why yes, but he didn’t let it consumer his life.
Once Rachel and Jeb meet again, the chemistry between them ignites again. The love they had all those years ago has never died, but Rachel is buried under a lot of guilt, as she start seeing enough evidence that she begins to question if Jeb is really guilty or not. She is determined to help Jeb get to the truth, no matter what that truth made be.
Put on your seatbelts, because it’s one wild ride. Between the different characters that we meet and the sophisticated storyline, there wasn’t a dull moment.
Something that I personally found interesting was the different POV we get in this story. Some are in first person and some are in third person. Being able to read how so many people felt and reacted about what was happening in Snowy Creek, was fascinating to say the least.
All it takes is one small stone thrown at that web for it to unravel and that is what Pieces of me is all about. One man unraveling the secrets that has woven a tangled web of deceit in the little town of Snowy Creek and will affect so many lives.
This is a must read for any lover of romance suspense Novel.
July 9, 2016
Wow, had me guessing all the way through. Great romance mystery book. (audible review)
I liked Rachel quite a bit. She said what she wanted to say, no beating around the bush with her. I liked Jeb too. He was a great character, especially after what he went through. They made a good couple. There was one sex scene, mildly written.
The story line and plot was great! I really liked it. It was such a good mystery, whodunit. Lots of stuff happening all the way through. I enjoyed that the way the story unfolded it was so out in the open but kept you guessing. There were a lot of players in this mystery.
As for the narration, it was really good. This book was written partly in the first person from Rachel's POV and then in the third person for all the other characters. This is my first listen by Alexander Cendense. I really liked his voice, quite sexy. Tanya Eby did a great job as usual. The men sound like men and everyone gets their own distinct voice. Alexander Cendense did a great job with voice distinction as well.
I liked Rachel quite a bit. She said what she wanted to say, no beating around the bush with her. I liked Jeb too. He was a great character, especially after what he went through. They made a good couple. There was one sex scene, mildly written.
The story line and plot was great! I really liked it. It was such a good mystery, whodunit. Lots of stuff happening all the way through. I enjoyed that the way the story unfolded it was so out in the open but kept you guessing. There were a lot of players in this mystery.
As for the narration, it was really good. This book was written partly in the first person from Rachel's POV and then in the third person for all the other characters. This is my first listen by Alexander Cendense. I really liked his voice, quite sexy. Tanya Eby did a great job as usual. The men sound like men and everyone gets their own distinct voice. Alexander Cendense did a great job with voice distinction as well.
November 18, 2013
This review was originally published at the passionate reader
WHEN DOES SOMETHING begin and end? The ripples from a stone cast into a pond, do they start with the smoothness of the pebble that first attracts the eye, the impulse to feel it against your palm, to make it skip over water... do they end with the last tiny lap of a wave on the distant shore...
These are the opening words of the latest romantic suspense novel by Loreth Anne White. Their obliqueness and the craft in the question made me want to read on. I'm glad I did. From beginning to almost end, Pieces of You had me flipping the pages, absorbed, wondering what would happen next.
Rachel Salonen has just lost her sister and brother-in-law to a terrible fire. She has been granted the guardianship of their only child, her niece Quinn. While at the lawyer's office to go over the details, Rachel is stunned to learn Quinn's birth parents are Jeb Cullen, the love of Rachel's life, and Amy Findlay, the woman he was accused of kidnapping, assaulting, and raping nine years ago. Jeb has spent those nine years in prison, put there in part by the testimony of Rachel and others. Amy never really recovered from the violence done to her and, finally, recently committed suicide.
Rachel is beyond stunned when the lawyer tells her, for the past five years, her sister Sophia has been working with the University of British Columbia’s Innocence Project to get Jeb freed. Jeb has always sworn he is innocent of the crimes against Amy and her still missing friend Merilee. Rachel has never believed him and has never forgiven him for not being the young man she she thought he was when they were in love. Rachel asks the lawyer if Jeb knows Quinn was adopted by her sister; he tells her Jeb was never told where his daughter was placed.
Six months later, Rachel and Quinn have moved to Snowy River, the small mountain town Rachel grew up in, and into her family's old home. It's not been easy on either of them. Rachel is running the small town newspaper her father left her last year and trying to raise a clearly distant and angry eight year old girl. Rachel's exhausted, sad, and stressed and then, something happens that terrifies her. Her sister's work with the Innocence Project has paid off and Jeb Cullen has been released from prison.
When someone matching Jeb's description is seen talking to Quinn on the playground, Rachel is sure he's come to do her harm. She heads immediately to the police station and shares her fear with her old friend Adam LeFleur, the Deputy Chief Constable.
Adam is wrong about Jeb, however. Jeb has two very good reasons to return to Snowy River. The first is to clear his name and find the real criminals behind the crimes he took the fall for. The second is to see Quinn who, thanks to Sophia, he knows is his.
Pieces of You is written from several different perspectives but the two given the largest voice are those of Jeb and Rachel. They are reliable narrators and thus, from the moment Jeb appears back in Snowy Creek, ready to dig up the past and find the truth someone there has hidden for the past nine years, the reader believes him.
Rachel, initially does not. She loved him deeply as a young girl and believed he loved her. On the night Amy and Merilee went missing, Rachel and Jeb argued. Jeb consoled himself by having sex with Amy. When Amy showed up, days later, beaten, pregnant, and with no memory of what had happened to her, Rachel believed the worst of Jeb. In the years that have passed, she's wondered not if he was guilty but how could she have so misjudged him.
Jeb, though, is determined to clear his name and prove to Rachel, the world, and the little girl who has his eyes that he is the man Rachel thought he was. And, when he is brutally attacked by three men in the masks, Rachel takes him in, despite her fear, and slowly, oh so slowly, begins to see him as he is and has always been: a man worthy of her love.
Pieces of You is an excellent read on many levels. The book is a gripping mystery. Ms. White fills her books with a host of richly developed characters, all of whom have secrets. The varying voices are well done--I especially liked the nuanced portrayal of the women married to the men who had condemned Jeb nine years ago. These are wives who love their husbands and children and who protect their families in ways that are poignant and sympathetic. The mystery loses a bit of its hold in the last third of the book when it becomes obvious who really behaved monstrously nine years ago but, though the mystery ebbs, the suspense continues to build. Rachel, Jeb, Quinn and others in Snowy Creek are in genuine danger and Ms. White spins out the tension until the last chapter.
Pieces of You is also a damn good romance. Rachel and Jeb are hot together, but, the past they share is difficult for them--especially Rachel--to move past. Their relationship is made more complicated by Quinn who instinctively trusts Jeb without knowing who he is. It's easy for Rachel, once she believes in Jeb's innocence, to fear Quinn being taken away by her father. For his part, Jeb treads carefully with Quinn, knowing that if his plan fails, he'll do her no favors by claiming her as his own.
I've not read anything else by Ms. White, but, look forward to her next book. It's hard to write stand alone romantic suspense where both the romance and the suspense make my pulse pound. Pieces of You is such a book. I give it a B+.
WHEN DOES SOMETHING begin and end? The ripples from a stone cast into a pond, do they start with the smoothness of the pebble that first attracts the eye, the impulse to feel it against your palm, to make it skip over water... do they end with the last tiny lap of a wave on the distant shore...
These are the opening words of the latest romantic suspense novel by Loreth Anne White. Their obliqueness and the craft in the question made me want to read on. I'm glad I did. From beginning to almost end, Pieces of You had me flipping the pages, absorbed, wondering what would happen next.
Rachel Salonen has just lost her sister and brother-in-law to a terrible fire. She has been granted the guardianship of their only child, her niece Quinn. While at the lawyer's office to go over the details, Rachel is stunned to learn Quinn's birth parents are Jeb Cullen, the love of Rachel's life, and Amy Findlay, the woman he was accused of kidnapping, assaulting, and raping nine years ago. Jeb has spent those nine years in prison, put there in part by the testimony of Rachel and others. Amy never really recovered from the violence done to her and, finally, recently committed suicide.
Rachel is beyond stunned when the lawyer tells her, for the past five years, her sister Sophia has been working with the University of British Columbia’s Innocence Project to get Jeb freed. Jeb has always sworn he is innocent of the crimes against Amy and her still missing friend Merilee. Rachel has never believed him and has never forgiven him for not being the young man she she thought he was when they were in love. Rachel asks the lawyer if Jeb knows Quinn was adopted by her sister; he tells her Jeb was never told where his daughter was placed.
Six months later, Rachel and Quinn have moved to Snowy River, the small mountain town Rachel grew up in, and into her family's old home. It's not been easy on either of them. Rachel is running the small town newspaper her father left her last year and trying to raise a clearly distant and angry eight year old girl. Rachel's exhausted, sad, and stressed and then, something happens that terrifies her. Her sister's work with the Innocence Project has paid off and Jeb Cullen has been released from prison.
When someone matching Jeb's description is seen talking to Quinn on the playground, Rachel is sure he's come to do her harm. She heads immediately to the police station and shares her fear with her old friend Adam LeFleur, the Deputy Chief Constable.
“What if he does come back?” I say softly. “Can we stop him from being here?”
“Cullen’s conviction was overturned. He’s as free as the next guy to go wherever he pleases. Law enforcement has no control over his movements. But there is also no reason for him to come back here.”
“What about that land his mother left him, on the Wolf River?”
“It’s derelict. There’s nothing there for him. He’d be insane to even try to make something work here. He’s not welcome in Snowy Creek, Rachel, and he knows it. What he did to those girls—people here will crucify him for it if he returns. There’s still so much residual anger, hell knows what might happen if he sets foot in this town. I’m not sure I could control it.”
“What if it’s revenge he wants? For us testifying? You know, like that felon who comes after his lawyer in that old movie Cape Fear.”
Adam hesitates. “You’re thinking he might go after your niece to get at you, is that what this is about? You think he’ll come after our children, just to mess with our heads?”
I bite my lip. Deep down, even now, in spite of what I’ve been led to believe about Jeb, in spite of all the evidence presented in court, in spite of my own fears, in spite of today, I can’t fully accept he’s capable. When it comes to Jeb, I can’t think clearly.
Adam is wrong about Jeb, however. Jeb has two very good reasons to return to Snowy River. The first is to clear his name and find the real criminals behind the crimes he took the fall for. The second is to see Quinn who, thanks to Sophia, he knows is his.
Pieces of You is written from several different perspectives but the two given the largest voice are those of Jeb and Rachel. They are reliable narrators and thus, from the moment Jeb appears back in Snowy Creek, ready to dig up the past and find the truth someone there has hidden for the past nine years, the reader believes him.
Rachel, initially does not. She loved him deeply as a young girl and believed he loved her. On the night Amy and Merilee went missing, Rachel and Jeb argued. Jeb consoled himself by having sex with Amy. When Amy showed up, days later, beaten, pregnant, and with no memory of what had happened to her, Rachel believed the worst of Jeb. In the years that have passed, she's wondered not if he was guilty but how could she have so misjudged him.
Jeb, though, is determined to clear his name and prove to Rachel, the world, and the little girl who has his eyes that he is the man Rachel thought he was. And, when he is brutally attacked by three men in the masks, Rachel takes him in, despite her fear, and slowly, oh so slowly, begins to see him as he is and has always been: a man worthy of her love.
Pieces of You is an excellent read on many levels. The book is a gripping mystery. Ms. White fills her books with a host of richly developed characters, all of whom have secrets. The varying voices are well done--I especially liked the nuanced portrayal of the women married to the men who had condemned Jeb nine years ago. These are wives who love their husbands and children and who protect their families in ways that are poignant and sympathetic. The mystery loses a bit of its hold in the last third of the book when it becomes obvious who really behaved monstrously nine years ago but, though the mystery ebbs, the suspense continues to build. Rachel, Jeb, Quinn and others in Snowy Creek are in genuine danger and Ms. White spins out the tension until the last chapter.
Pieces of You is also a damn good romance. Rachel and Jeb are hot together, but, the past they share is difficult for them--especially Rachel--to move past. Their relationship is made more complicated by Quinn who instinctively trusts Jeb without knowing who he is. It's easy for Rachel, once she believes in Jeb's innocence, to fear Quinn being taken away by her father. For his part, Jeb treads carefully with Quinn, knowing that if his plan fails, he'll do her no favors by claiming her as his own.
I've not read anything else by Ms. White, but, look forward to her next book. It's hard to write stand alone romantic suspense where both the romance and the suspense make my pulse pound. Pieces of You is such a book. I give it a B+.
March 13, 2023
"Violence, it turned out, came easily when you lived with anger swimming permanently inside you, when you were trapped in a cage with no other hope."
Not my favorite of hers by a long shot but I absolutely love how White's really able to set the scenes in each of her novels. I've never been to Canada, but her descriptive writing made me feel as if I was right there in those snowy mountains and thick canopies. Her ability to develop complex characters also make her stories intriguing and something to ponder upon later.
"History becomes something agreed upon by mutual consent, and the guilt is anesthetized by silence.”
Not my favorite of hers by a long shot but I absolutely love how White's really able to set the scenes in each of her novels. I've never been to Canada, but her descriptive writing made me feel as if I was right there in those snowy mountains and thick canopies. Her ability to develop complex characters also make her stories intriguing and something to ponder upon later.
"History becomes something agreed upon by mutual consent, and the guilt is anesthetized by silence.”
March 31, 2025
This was a good one. I loved little Quinn.
February 8, 2018
This is the first of the Snowy Creek novels set in British Columbia. It is a mystery with some romance woven into the plot. Jeb Cullen has been released from prison because his conviction was overturned. He returns to Snowy Creek to unravel the mystery of what happened 9 years ago.
There are 3 central characters in this novel, Jeb Cullen the ex-con, his old girlfriend Rachel Salonen and a nine year old girl. The Slow Burn of Silence tells the story from these 3 different points of view.
From the start I was impressed with the quality of Loreth’s writing. Her writing style just slotted into gear with my thinking. Her use of vocabulary is tremendous and I would very often tap a word on my Kindle to pull up the definition. The description of the scenes are very detailed and powerful, so much so that I felt I was living in Snowy Creek and the surrounding mountains.
I like how Loreth tells the story. I think it would appeal to both genders. It is a deeply emotional read and Loreth really gets to the heart of how people feel about each other. It explores the meaning of love and how people bond together.
The Slow Burn of Silence is a character based novel and oh boy, Loreth truly develops each of her central 3 characters to the full. I developed a strong empathy early on for the 3 of them.
The plot was okay and because Jeb Cullen was released from prison as his sentence was overturned, straight away you have your suspicions. As details emerge, you join up the dots so the plot does not give you many surprises. However this is a very entertaining read and I enjoyed reading how all the many minor characters had their own little bit to play in this unfolding mystery. I liked how each character had very strong motivation, there were no bland characters added to pad this novel out.
I found this book to be a rewarding read and the quality of writing made it a pleasure to spend time with. Although the plot was not outstanding, the emotional depth made this such a GOOD read, that it gets 4 stars from me. I also feel that this novel would make a good family film.
The Slow Burn of Silence was published in 2013 and is available as an Amazon Kindle eBook.
There are 3 central characters in this novel, Jeb Cullen the ex-con, his old girlfriend Rachel Salonen and a nine year old girl. The Slow Burn of Silence tells the story from these 3 different points of view.
From the start I was impressed with the quality of Loreth’s writing. Her writing style just slotted into gear with my thinking. Her use of vocabulary is tremendous and I would very often tap a word on my Kindle to pull up the definition. The description of the scenes are very detailed and powerful, so much so that I felt I was living in Snowy Creek and the surrounding mountains.
I like how Loreth tells the story. I think it would appeal to both genders. It is a deeply emotional read and Loreth really gets to the heart of how people feel about each other. It explores the meaning of love and how people bond together.
The Slow Burn of Silence is a character based novel and oh boy, Loreth truly develops each of her central 3 characters to the full. I developed a strong empathy early on for the 3 of them.
The plot was okay and because Jeb Cullen was released from prison as his sentence was overturned, straight away you have your suspicions. As details emerge, you join up the dots so the plot does not give you many surprises. However this is a very entertaining read and I enjoyed reading how all the many minor characters had their own little bit to play in this unfolding mystery. I liked how each character had very strong motivation, there were no bland characters added to pad this novel out.
I found this book to be a rewarding read and the quality of writing made it a pleasure to spend time with. Although the plot was not outstanding, the emotional depth made this such a GOOD read, that it gets 4 stars from me. I also feel that this novel would make a good family film.
The Slow Burn of Silence was published in 2013 and is available as an Amazon Kindle eBook.
January 15, 2018
Dear Reader,
I am a great fan of Ms White's work,this being her fourth book that I've read in the last few months.
While I waxed lyrically of the merits of the others,alas,I cannot say the same about this one.
The premise was very clever and the first few chapters were very engaging. However,I soon found myself scanning the vast details in each chapter and felt that the story essentially got bogged down as a result.
I found there was a lot of repetition of basic facts and I missed her enticing signature snappy,sharp and short chapters,as per her other books.
However,I was intrigued enough by the central mystery to continue reading as I just had to find out what occurred,that fateful night,nine years ago,to Amy and her friend.
The resolution was very satisfactory,exciting and well executed. This will certainly not be the last I read from this author as I do admire her writing style and prose.
While this particular story failed to cast a magic spell on me,I look forward to reading more stories penned by Ms White and being enthralled once more by her characters' lives.
I am a great fan of Ms White's work,this being her fourth book that I've read in the last few months.
While I waxed lyrically of the merits of the others,alas,I cannot say the same about this one.
The premise was very clever and the first few chapters were very engaging. However,I soon found myself scanning the vast details in each chapter and felt that the story essentially got bogged down as a result.
I found there was a lot of repetition of basic facts and I missed her enticing signature snappy,sharp and short chapters,as per her other books.
However,I was intrigued enough by the central mystery to continue reading as I just had to find out what occurred,that fateful night,nine years ago,to Amy and her friend.
The resolution was very satisfactory,exciting and well executed. This will certainly not be the last I read from this author as I do admire her writing style and prose.
While this particular story failed to cast a magic spell on me,I look forward to reading more stories penned by Ms White and being enthralled once more by her characters' lives.
February 9, 2023
A slow start that continues to build up as it goes on. Once the background and characters are all introduced, we are thrown into a mystery of great heights. As things unraveled, the characters began to all turn on each other and all second guess who each other truly is. What skeletons does everyone hide in their closets? Once I was passed midway, I could not put the book down and had to know how everything was going to play out. There are some very naughty adult moments in this book alongside the mystery and slight thrills. I got this book free on amazon along with another book( Beneath Devils Bridge) by this author. I liked this one a lot better than her other book I read. I look forward to reading Loreth's other books! I give this book 4✨
August 15, 2021
This is one of those books that had a great premise but didn't deliver. It started out good but author just failed to sustain the whole thing from the start to finish. It started out sputtering 20 percent in and never quite recovered.
July 11, 2016
So glad I read this..
This was a really great book. Yeah, it was a little wordy but that didn’t take away from the story that much. This is the second book I’ve read lately that had the heroine’s words in the first person and everyone else in the third person. I’m not sure I like it but I can deal with it, and I certainly don’t understand why an author would do that.
It was a story about a man who was falsely accused of rape, but not murder because the body wasn’t found, who’s released and comes back to the town that railroaded him to prove his innocence. A trial based on lies and deception. It was exciting all the way through the story and I couldn’t wait to see who all really did it. Since you knew Jeb was innocent and 4 boys testified against him it had to be one or all of them: (Not a spoiler) Clint, Levi, Zink or, the now dead, Luke. When it ended parts of it were a shock and parts were sad but it was a story of discovering who orchestrated it and why Jeb was set-up, and a love that had never died. Loved it!
There wasn’t a bit of sexual tension or sexual attraction but there was one explicit sex scene. There were a few smaller swearwords used and the F-bomb was released 33 times.
As to the narrators: Fabulous! Tanya Eby did Rachel’s (first person) voice just great and Alexander Cendese did all the others’. They both whispered, yelled, laughed, whatever. Truly awesome!
This was a really great book. Yeah, it was a little wordy but that didn’t take away from the story that much. This is the second book I’ve read lately that had the heroine’s words in the first person and everyone else in the third person. I’m not sure I like it but I can deal with it, and I certainly don’t understand why an author would do that.
It was a story about a man who was falsely accused of rape, but not murder because the body wasn’t found, who’s released and comes back to the town that railroaded him to prove his innocence. A trial based on lies and deception. It was exciting all the way through the story and I couldn’t wait to see who all really did it. Since you knew Jeb was innocent and 4 boys testified against him it had to be one or all of them: (Not a spoiler) Clint, Levi, Zink or, the now dead, Luke. When it ended parts of it were a shock and parts were sad but it was a story of discovering who orchestrated it and why Jeb was set-up, and a love that had never died. Loved it!
There wasn’t a bit of sexual tension or sexual attraction but there was one explicit sex scene. There were a few smaller swearwords used and the F-bomb was released 33 times.
As to the narrators: Fabulous! Tanya Eby did Rachel’s (first person) voice just great and Alexander Cendese did all the others’. They both whispered, yelled, laughed, whatever. Truly awesome!
October 7, 2013
PIECES OF YOU is one of those books I had to sit and think about before reviewing. That's not a bad thing, because I truly had to sift through my feelings so I continued to think about the book long after I'd finished it. The author, Loreth Anne White, is a romantic suspense author with a couple of RITA nominations under her belt and a backlist of some terrific books. This was an indie published venture so she could experiment with formats. First off, I'm not a big fan of 1st Person Present POV. And it's always a gamble to mix tenses of POV. But I have to say, it really worked in this book. The immediacy of the heroine's POV in first, followed by the larger overview, in the hero's and supporting characters' POVs, worked. Seamlessly.
Set in Snowy Creek, a Canadian ski resort, this book is a slam-bam, heart-stopping downhill ski race of a read. Small towns often hide the biggest secrets. Villains can be heroes. And heroes can be villians. And sometimes, people just hide from the truth and hope it won't touch them. The personalities, the setting, and the plot are right on. This one definitely goes on the keeper shelf!
Set in Snowy Creek, a Canadian ski resort, this book is a slam-bam, heart-stopping downhill ski race of a read. Small towns often hide the biggest secrets. Villains can be heroes. And heroes can be villians. And sometimes, people just hide from the truth and hope it won't touch them. The personalities, the setting, and the plot are right on. This one definitely goes on the keeper shelf!
February 2, 2021
I enjoyed the book even though the events were more or less predictable. I loved the fact that the story is in the first person view point of the lead character but third person view point of all others, thus setting apart the heroine from others.
November 17, 2021
So a gal in a small town is pressed for time and The Autism is running strong in her companion this fine afternoon. Trouble is brewing. There is groaning and yodeling plus hand flapping. But she is out of books and the weekend approaches. Imminent meltdown or not she must take the chance. She hurries into the teeny little branch library that’s about the same size as her family room/kitchen area (ok, it’s a great room but great room sounds too big), she casts her eyes about and grabs a little stack of whatever looks intriguing from the New READS book shelf and with Young Mr. Autism in tow heads home before the wheels come off the cart. Jesus has lovingly declined to take the wheel at the moment but they arrive home without even a Minor Incident. Just a little Pterodactyl Boy noise coming from the back seat.
The hastily selected selections are a mixed bag but she groans upon discovering two of them are romance novels. Her least favorite genre. For the love. When, and why, she wonders, did they stop with the bodice ripping Fabio covers? How’s a gal to know she’s got a Romance novel in her hands if it looks like chick lit or a mystery or a thriller, hmm? Is one really not expected to judge a book by its cover? And the library closed for three whole days!
She reads the other selections and is left only with romance novels. She checks her library account to see if any requests are about to summon her back to the library soon. Nada.
And that, my friends, is the story of how I ended up reading two romance novels in a week. They were not terrible.
Romance will never be my favorite romance. I love a good love story but most of the romance genre personally disappoints. It’s probably about equal parts low level prudishness and aggravation with stock phrases. There’s always so much twisted hair and tangled limbs, trembling and arching, shattering, screaming etc etc. I like my imagination just fine, thanks. I’d just as soon skip the sex scenes and get back to the story. And so I do.
Much to my surprise The Slow Burn of Silence did have another story, enough of a mystery to keep me reading and turning the pages. It started slow and was a bit repetitive and overly descriptive, I got a bit tired of hearing about black hair, for instance. There were a lot of characters being introduced and no real reason to care much about them until pretty close to a hundred pages in.
I am not at all mad I read it.
And for the record, realizing that Rachel herself was somewhat ambivalent about caring for her niece upon the death of her sister and brother-in-law, if my fiancé behaved like Trey I’d have been helping him pack and saying here’s your hat, what’s your hurry? And I say that as a foster parent for two relative placement children. It ain’t easy, love is not always enough, and support can be scarce on the ground. But then it’s only their whole little traumatized life, so of course I shouldn’t let it get in the way of my life plans and comforts.
I give this a surprised 3 stars for the rather engrossing mystery. Looking forward to picking up a stack of 2021 best book contenders on Thursday!
Content warnings - couple of sex scenes, sexual assault that takes place in the past and a horrific rape described bluntly.
The hastily selected selections are a mixed bag but she groans upon discovering two of them are romance novels. Her least favorite genre. For the love. When, and why, she wonders, did they stop with the bodice ripping Fabio covers? How’s a gal to know she’s got a Romance novel in her hands if it looks like chick lit or a mystery or a thriller, hmm? Is one really not expected to judge a book by its cover? And the library closed for three whole days!
She reads the other selections and is left only with romance novels. She checks her library account to see if any requests are about to summon her back to the library soon. Nada.
And that, my friends, is the story of how I ended up reading two romance novels in a week. They were not terrible.
Romance will never be my favorite romance. I love a good love story but most of the romance genre personally disappoints. It’s probably about equal parts low level prudishness and aggravation with stock phrases. There’s always so much twisted hair and tangled limbs, trembling and arching, shattering, screaming etc etc. I like my imagination just fine, thanks. I’d just as soon skip the sex scenes and get back to the story. And so I do.
Much to my surprise The Slow Burn of Silence did have another story, enough of a mystery to keep me reading and turning the pages. It started slow and was a bit repetitive and overly descriptive, I got a bit tired of hearing about black hair, for instance. There were a lot of characters being introduced and no real reason to care much about them until pretty close to a hundred pages in.
I am not at all mad I read it.
And for the record, realizing that Rachel herself was somewhat ambivalent about caring for her niece upon the death of her sister and brother-in-law, if my fiancé behaved like Trey I’d have been helping him pack and saying here’s your hat, what’s your hurry? And I say that as a foster parent for two relative placement children. It ain’t easy, love is not always enough, and support can be scarce on the ground. But then it’s only their whole little traumatized life, so of course I shouldn’t let it get in the way of my life plans and comforts.
I give this a surprised 3 stars for the rather engrossing mystery. Looking forward to picking up a stack of 2021 best book contenders on Thursday!
Content warnings - couple of sex scenes, sexual assault that takes place in the past and a horrific rape described bluntly.
September 23, 2025
2 stars
One of the audiobook narrators was extremely corny, but the whole book came off as melodramatic.
The good guys were complex characters. The bad guys were paper thin. (A lot of books are like that, but this plot is fairly straight forward.)
I finished this book a week ago. I didn't retain much. I could explain the plot in one or two sentences and you'd gain about as much insight as me.
I'm giving it 2 stars instead of 3, as I initially intended. If I keep writing, I'll hate it even more. :)
One of the audiobook narrators was extremely corny, but the whole book came off as melodramatic.
The good guys were complex characters. The bad guys were paper thin. (A lot of books are like that, but this plot is fairly straight forward.)
I finished this book a week ago. I didn't retain much. I could explain the plot in one or two sentences and you'd gain about as much insight as me.
I'm giving it 2 stars instead of 3, as I initially intended. If I keep writing, I'll hate it even more. :)
February 5, 2020
This book made me so anxious I just wanted it to be over. Which is a good thing.
July 1, 2014
On the surface this is Rachel and Jeb’s story. Underneath it is really about the town and what the town leaders will do to protect the chosen ones. It is also Rachel’s story. For an almost ten-year stint in prison, Jeb is surprisingly well-adjusted. It is Rachel’s world, and that of the town, that is thrown on its ear by Jeb’s reappearance. Rachel and Jeb do not have an easy road to travel. They have come no-where near addressing the issues of the past. Even before Rachel’s damming testimony there were issues between the two. In fact, it is those issues that lead to the ultimate accusations against Jeb. Rachel also has to adjust to the loss of her sister and suddenly becoming a mother to her nine-year old niece. These major changes in Rachel’s life and the compressed timeline, the entire novel takes place over little over a week, make this a fast paced, almost frenetic read; in a good way. You are part of Rachel’s journey as she adjusts to her new reality.
This reality is enhanced by White’s writing style that is characterized by lush descriptions. Her vivid imagery brings to life the events in Rachel’s life, Snowy Creek, the surrounding forest, and mountains. Having lived through recent western forest fires, I could easily envision her tinder dry landscape and smell smoke in the air. This level of detail provides a richness to the story as the reader becomes one with the descriptive setting. The descriptions never tumble into too much or tediousness. The landscape becomes an integral part of the story. Every image has a defined place in the story and is used to move the narrative forward.
Not to be outdone, the characters are more than able to hold their own. There is more to each and every one of them than the typical small town stereotype. While the story builds on that idea, the characters and story take a fresh approach. There are several scenes that the antagonists could have devolved into caricatures of Mean Girls. However, White’s deft writing style gives each character life and depth, even if there are those you don’t like very much.
White has created a multi-layered setting, with a variety of well-developed characters that will resonate with readers. The descriptive imagery and desire to know more about how the town recovers from the events in this novel will keep readers interested in the planned installments of the series. The ripples of the events in Pieces of You will linger long into the future in word and mind. I know I’m awaiting Annie’s story. I know there is more to learn about the town and these characters and look forward to continuing the journey.
This reality is enhanced by White’s writing style that is characterized by lush descriptions. Her vivid imagery brings to life the events in Rachel’s life, Snowy Creek, the surrounding forest, and mountains. Having lived through recent western forest fires, I could easily envision her tinder dry landscape and smell smoke in the air. This level of detail provides a richness to the story as the reader becomes one with the descriptive setting. The descriptions never tumble into too much or tediousness. The landscape becomes an integral part of the story. Every image has a defined place in the story and is used to move the narrative forward.
Not to be outdone, the characters are more than able to hold their own. There is more to each and every one of them than the typical small town stereotype. While the story builds on that idea, the characters and story take a fresh approach. There are several scenes that the antagonists could have devolved into caricatures of Mean Girls. However, White’s deft writing style gives each character life and depth, even if there are those you don’t like very much.
White has created a multi-layered setting, with a variety of well-developed characters that will resonate with readers. The descriptive imagery and desire to know more about how the town recovers from the events in this novel will keep readers interested in the planned installments of the series. The ripples of the events in Pieces of You will linger long into the future in word and mind. I know I’m awaiting Annie’s story. I know there is more to learn about the town and these characters and look forward to continuing the journey.
September 6, 2016
I was lucky enough to receive The Slow Burn of Silence in a first-reads contest - many thanks to the author and Goodreads!
The author kept me guessing throughout the book. I couldn't be sure Jeb didn't do it, but if he hadn't, who did? What happened? Jeb had as much to prove to the reader as he did to Rachel and the other residents of Snowy Creek. As another reviewer said, I felt for Rachel and Quinn and all that they'd been through, and how well they seemed to handle it - mistakes and all. I enjoyed all the shifts in perspective, particularly near the end as everything was coming together. Although I wish some of the clues and such had been a bit more subtle, I enjoyed the writing style. It was a quick, easy, and exciting read that kept me up late each night because I just didn't want to put it down.
As a fan of thrillers and suspense, I really enjoyed the book. It's definitely worth a read!
The author kept me guessing throughout the book. I couldn't be sure Jeb didn't do it, but if he hadn't, who did? What happened? Jeb had as much to prove to the reader as he did to Rachel and the other residents of Snowy Creek. As another reviewer said, I felt for Rachel and Quinn and all that they'd been through, and how well they seemed to handle it - mistakes and all. I enjoyed all the shifts in perspective, particularly near the end as everything was coming together. Although I wish some of the clues and such had been a bit more subtle, I enjoyed the writing style. It was a quick, easy, and exciting read that kept me up late each night because I just didn't want to put it down.
As a fan of thrillers and suspense, I really enjoyed the book. It's definitely worth a read!
September 30, 2014
Novel received courtesy of Goodreads.com giveaway
I loved this book! It was a completely fresh idea with interesting characters, beautiful descriptions and lots of twists and turns. I'm definitely going to put Ms. White on my TBR list!
Several years ago in Snowy Creek, two girls were raped, one left for dead and wandering the other never was found. A local teen from the wrong side of the tracks and with half Indian blood was tried, convicted and sentenced for the crimes. Nine years later, he is released after the Innocence Project took his case. "The Slow Burn of Silence" is the story of his return to Snowy Creek and his search for the truth of that night.
I'll be passing this book on to friends! What a great read!
I loved this book! It was a completely fresh idea with interesting characters, beautiful descriptions and lots of twists and turns. I'm definitely going to put Ms. White on my TBR list!
Several years ago in Snowy Creek, two girls were raped, one left for dead and wandering the other never was found. A local teen from the wrong side of the tracks and with half Indian blood was tried, convicted and sentenced for the crimes. Nine years later, he is released after the Innocence Project took his case. "The Slow Burn of Silence" is the story of his return to Snowy Creek and his search for the truth of that night.
I'll be passing this book on to friends! What a great read!
April 24, 2016
Well written with a good suspense, it suffered from an annoying, TSTL heroine who:
- Drives recklessly with the child she is guardian of in her car
- Locks and leaves child in car where she cannnot get out when they stop
- Handles potential evidence at an arson scene
And to top it all off, she pines for the loser ex-fiance who broke their engagement because she became guardian to her niece. My response to him would have been "Don't let the door smack you in the ass on the way out, fool."
- Drives recklessly with the child she is guardian of in her car
- Locks and leaves child in car where she cannnot get out when they stop
- Handles potential evidence at an arson scene
And to top it all off, she pines for the loser ex-fiance who broke their engagement because she became guardian to her niece. My response to him would have been "Don't let the door smack you in the ass on the way out, fool."
February 21, 2016
This book was like a jigsaw puzzle - you know what the picture will be at the end, you just aren't sure how the pieces will all fit together. I knew how the book would end. . . but I enjoyed reading and seeing how all the pieces worked together. A quick, guilty pleasure book!
November 15, 2016
Two-haiku review:
She helped convict him
He's out, seeking real killer
Wants his daughter back
Like this author lots
Heart-wrenching suspense, action
Good character depth
In spite of alternating first-person present with third-person past tense, I couldn't help loving it.
She helped convict him
He's out, seeking real killer
Wants his daughter back
Like this author lots
Heart-wrenching suspense, action
Good character depth
In spite of alternating first-person present with third-person past tense, I couldn't help loving it.
May 6, 2023
I normally love this author but I did feel like the bulk of the book had me a bit bored. However, as the story wrapped up near the end, it was all of a sudden full of suspense and grabbed my attention again. 3.5 stars! ⭐️
Displaying 1 - 30 of 421 reviews