Her Dark Silence

by Kinsley Hunt

25K murder mystery novella from debut author Kinsley Hunt!

Ten years ago this small town took everything from me.
Now I'm here to take it back.Everything changed the night I followed my twin sister into the cornfield.

If only I could remember what happened.

I woke up in the hospital—stabbed, covered in blood, and the prime suspect in my sister’s murder. The whole town was ready to lock me away forever, until the mayor’s corrupt politics set me free. But freedom means nothing when everyone still thinks I’m guilty.

So, I packed my bags and left.

Now, I’m back. And I won’t stop until I find my sister’s killer.

The road to justice is paved with heartbreak and betrayal, and the new sheriff is the only one willing to help me. But trust doesn’t come easy—not when I’ve been abandoned before. I tell myself he’ll run once he sees how the town looks at me.

But he doesn’t.

He stands beside me through the anger, the humiliation, the moments I feel completely broken. And for the first time, I wonder—maybe I can have something good.

As soon as I put a murderer away for good.

Romantika Her Dark Silence is a steamy, small-town murder mystery novella that will have you on the edge of your seat. This book is for 18+ and contains some darker material that may not be suitable for everyone. Please read the content warning before proceeding.

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Novella

107 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 3, 2025

Reviews

[Chelbie Lane · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a mystery novella, this was really good!

Sometimes with Novella’s, in my experience, the story is either rushed or doesn’t leave much of an impact. This one was an exception!

Twins, one murdered and one shunned as the murderer. Charlotte left her small town to escape the accusations against her & her family’s unsupportive neglect. She returns wanting answers and gets the help of the towns handsome Sheriff. Together they solve the 10yr old cold case.

A fun, gripping, mystery who-done-it short story. Perfect end to a great month!

[Alyssa Brannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a novella, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked it. The pacing didn’t feel super rushed, and the plot was interesting and kept me guessing. I would also be down bad for a man in a uniform that stood up for me, secure that bag sis.

[sara reads smut ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice rating: 🌶️

This was a really well written romantic suspense novella and I really enjoyed it. The plot was predictable but satisfying. I am going to be looking into Kinsley Hunt’s other works.

POV: dual first person
Tropes: forced proximity
Kinks: none
Triggers: sexual assault of a minor (not on page), mentions of past suicide, mentions of past murder, mentions of childhood neglect

[Beatriz · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️ it was okay very predictable but naming one of the characters karen and making her the murderer I couldn’t help but think of one of those karens u meet at the parking lot of a supermarket

funny

[GeAnna Michell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good Book

I enjoyed reading this book. Definitely would recommend to others. If you’re looking for a book I suggest picking up this one and start reading.

[Tanya Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast paced & plot twists you don’t see coming. Really great book.

[Moon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Damn those plottwists, good book. Fast read in-between, really enjoyed it! 🥰

[Abbey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sheriff Kellan just appeared out of nowhere and saved Charlotte's mind, heart and soul. If he hadn't been already drawn to her, while also being unsettled all this time by the case surrounding her twin sister's murder, Charlotte might not have been able to face the memories or get access to the files they needed to find the killer. That poor woman just needed someone in her corner supporting and believing her and keeping her safe, since she no longer had her twin to do so. And Sheriff Kellan was determined to right all the wrongs not only Charlotte had endured, but also Jenna, as they were both victims of that horrible crime.

If you're a fan of mysteries and suspense, you probably caught on to where this was headed from the moment the Sheriff put that busy body in her place and they discovered the summer camp link, but the extra crazy facts sprinkled in during the reveal act gave these crimes their own vile existence.

[Kari McKenna · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars
1 spice
Genre: Thriller, Suspense
Tropes: Family Drama, Losing a Twin, Corruption
Main Characters: Charlotte and Kellen

For a novella, the pacing left a lot to be desired. It started very interesting - a thriller where Charlotte’s twin was murdered a decade ago, and while the whole town, including her family, thought she was responsible, she wants to clear her name and find the true killer. Kellen, the new sheriff is more than willing to help.

About the middle, things start to rush a little. It might have been better to keep going with the description and make it full length. And some of the plot points felt out of place, almost like the author was adding things as she went. Suddenly, we learn about things that occurred we’d never heard before so it felt too easy. And while the spice scene was okay - it was out of no where. In there just to be there.

[The Book Babbler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this murder mystery novella! From the very first chapter, it grabbed my attention. The pacing was brisk and engaging, making it one of those quick reads that you just can’t put down. The author did a great job of building tension and atmosphere, balancing suspense with just the right amount of character development to keep me invested. Even though I was able to see the twist coming and predict the murderer a little early, it didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment of the story. In fact, knowing where things might be headed made me appreciate how cleverly the clues were laid out along the way. The writing style was smooth and immersive, and the dialogue felt natural, keeping the momentum strong right up to the end! I’m definitely planning to check out more of this author’s work!

[Emily Henderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Personally I feel the book went way too fast. That makes it an easy read for people with shorter attention spans or people who aren’t as into longer books. I like a good build up, I wanted more background on Jenna and charlottes relationship growing up. I wanted more depth on all the characters. More build up between the relationship of charlotte and Kellen’s relationship. I feel like the sex scene was really oddly placed, they found out about her sister’s killer and then started taking each other’s clothes off? Felt a little inappropriate for the scene. Not a huge fan but it was free on kindle.

[Brandie (Tinkerbombb) · Rating 2 out of 5]

This had so much potential! The plot was good, and the characters were interesting. However it really lacked depth. I wish it would have dove more into the murder, and that we could learn more about the sheriff and the past. How quickly the main FMC fell in love with Kellan was ridiculous, and it didn't make much sense to me. Not to mention naming the murderer Karen? I had what happened pinned down as soon as she was introduced. Really would have liked more plot twists.
However, this was a quick read.. which was nice.

[Hannah Hawthorne · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is one of the worst books I have read all year, and that’s saying something considering I’ve read over 220 books at this point. The sad thing is that it could’ve been good. It has the bones of a good story. There was a spicy scene in there that felt like it was plopped in just because. I know it was a novella but the entire story felt lazy and rushed. I expected more but walked away more bored than ever.

[Brooke · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a quick and somewhat decent read. The pacing and flow between scenes could have been a bit better and it was definitely one of the more predictable books I’ve read but it had me interested for the most part. The one thing I didn’t really care for was the romance aspect, I didn’t think it was super well done and could have honestly gone without it in this story.

[S · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75

Quick read. Would have liked a bit more detail in some areas. Plot should have been over several months/weeks rather than a few days - lacked realism. Relationship between Kellan and Charlotte was a bit too fast.

[Ashleigh Bentley · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Penny · Rating 1 out of 5]

q

[Yildiz Sethi · Rating 5 out of 5]

a thrilling and romantic read

This book was hard to put down. The plot was complex with several turns. Well written and crafted with a deeper exploration of human relationships.

[J White · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great, quick mystery read.

[Katie Milders · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️ novella

3.5 ⭐️ considering this is a novella and by nature it has to be faster paced with less plot development

[Sandy ✨️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

A few loose ends, but a good read!

[Rachael Dobson · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good!!! highly recommended 👌

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nice, quick read that didn't feel rushed at all. Even though I could predict it, it was still very well written.

[Noah Fahwehinmi · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐚 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐦𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞-𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐨𝐰𝐧? 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐲 𝐚 𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐞 𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐬.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 🌶️ 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞!

[Savannah Avery · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a great experience to read this, I just wish it would have been longer.