A Quiet Kind of Wrong: A Domestic Thriller

by Mary Frances Hill

One mistake. One secret. One family about to unravel.

Jane Taylor seems to have it all—a loving husband, a successful career as a children’s book author, and a picture-perfect life in Orange County. But one terrible night, she hits her neighbor’s teenage son, panics, and drives away. The police never come to arrest her.

For a year, Jane hides behind her carefully constructed suburban façade. Then a true crime podcaster revisits the unsolved case, and her son, Noah, a podcast addict, discovers the guilt-soaked letters Jane has been writing to the victim.

When Jane resolves to confess, Noah begs her for time. He’s sure the truth about that night is more complicated. Terrified of what her imprisonment would do to her family, Jane reluctantly agrees to Noah’s request. But as their search for answers pulls them deeper into the secrets of their seemingly safe neighborhood, Jane soon realizes that she’s not the only one hiding something.

Dark, twist-filled, and emotionally charged, A Quiet Kind of Wrong explores guilt, family loyalty, and how far we’ll go to protect the lives we’ve created, even when they're built on lies.

Genres: Thriller

270 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 26, 2025

Reviews

[Ronny · Rating 1 out of 5]

In the first few pages at least 4 or 5 name brand products were mentioned. I felt like I was reading an infomercial.

[Helen's always reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Ireadbooktours for this amazing ARC Copy and for allowing me to be a part of this tour!
"But I knew from experience that the world wasn't comprised of good and evil. Good people often did bad things when hopeless."

I am a thriller-girlie, through-and-through and I'm always looking for a book that can scratch my itch for a good mystery / suspense / plot-twist. This book did just that!

A Quiet Kind of Wrong revolves around Jane, an average woman in an average suburb, living with her husband and her son. When Jane accidentally runs over the neighbours' teenage boy and k*lls him, she does the unthinkable - she runs. She gets away from the scene and hides in her house, drowning in guilt and depression. When she's finally ready to admit to running the kid over, her son steps in (lucky for her, he's a true-crime enthusiast and an amateur-sleuth) and asks her for time to prove her innocence.

The story takes turns that you'll never see coming and, like Alice down the rabbit hole, you'll start to wonder which version of events is true and which is just a grapple for innocence that doesn't exist. Mary Frances Hill can write a thriller, y'all! I was hooked from page 1 until the end. The trauma throughout the story, along with her guilt and depression were so well handled and displayed. In fact, the book is so well-written that you'll feel guilty along with Jane. AND THAT PLOT-TWIST!!! I never saw it coming. I enjoyed every moment of this thrilling ride and this is definitely one of those books that will stay with you long after you've finished reading it.

I highly recommend this book to everyone, but especially to readers who love:
🕵️‍♀️High-stakes thrillers
🕵️‍♀️Domestic thrillers
🕵️‍♀️Guilty until proven innocent
🕵️‍♀️Plot-twists!!
🕵️‍♀️A good mystery

[Angela Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Quiet Kind of Wrong is a Fast-Paced Page-Turner. This book moves quickly, pulling readers in immediately. While the scenes aren't necessarily action-packed, the storyline is very well-paced and keeps the reader engaged in the character's emotional plot. The author sets up the drama early on but keeps it growing as readers wait to see when and how the novel's truths unfold. I immediately settled into the author's storytelling style — and was quickly engaged in Jane's story. The book is easy to read and well-organized, with enough twists and moral grey spaces to keep readers turning the pages toward resolution.

The Author Offers Readers a Flawed Character and a Very Human Story. The characters feel pretty realistic, especially the main character, Jane. She's not perfect, and that actually makes her more believable. You can understand why she makes the choices she does, even when you disagree with them. The family and neighborhood dynamics feel familiar, and the emotional reactions—guilt, fear, denial—feel very human. A few moments stretch believability a bit, but nothing that pulled me too far out of the story.

Would I Recommend A Quiet Kind of Wrong by Mary Frances Hill? Some solid twists keep the story interesting without being too wild or unrealistic. The ending fits the story and offers a firm conclusion — but doesn't try to tie everything up in an overly neat bow. Overall, this is a good pick for readers who enjoy quieter, character-focused thrillers about secrets, bad decisions and consequences. If you like domestic suspense with emotional depth rather than nonstop action, I'd recommend this one for your reading list.

I received a copy of this book from the author or publisher. All opinions are my own.

[Sandra Lopez · Rating 4 out of 5]

“You, Jane Taylor, ran over Grayson Pollack and killed him.”

For a year, Jane lived with the horrendous guilt and crippling silence. She kept it a secret for fear that her family would stop loving her and she’d be along in prison. The secret becomes more overbearing when Jane’s son, Noah the true crime buff, finds out and helps her keep it. It was true that revealing her crime would only destroy the lives of their family. Her husband would lose his job, the victim’s family would likely sue, and the community would ostracize and exile the family. They would lose everything. With the one-year anniversary shedding light and bringing new perspectives on the case, Jane and her son were worried now more than ever. Noah brought up a good point: perhaps Jane didn’t kill the boy after all. The mystery of the truth only urges you to read on.

This was a pretty compelling read overall. If the dead boy was a afraid of the dark, then why was he walking around in the middle of the night?

As Jane and her son investigate more into the hit-and-run, threats start flying their way. Could someone know what Jane did? Could someone in the neighborhood have seen something that night? All these were questions that we needed answers to. As we read on, we learn more and more about the grieving Pollack family.

An easy and gripping read. It takes a while to get through it and the pace was not as fast as I would’ve liked, but it does keep you invested and curious all the way. Most of the time we’re dealing with Jane’s overwhelming guilty and nerve-wracking paranoia. But finding out the truth was indeed satisfying. A nice read!

[Jerah Alvarado · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book to start the year. I was unsure about this novel, and it was hard to finish the first chapter, simply for the unforgiveable deed of leaving a teen on the road. But I was also hooked, and that speaks highly of how the author got me to want to push pass those emotions to get to the bottom of it.

I’m so glad I did. Nothing is as it seems and the plot twists kept me going that I basically finished the book in one sitting. And I don’t do that with many books. It had me questioning how I would handle a situation like this if one of my loved ones hid a terrible secret. I hope I never have to find out, but it got me all riled up my teen got a lecture of stopping to render help no matter what if she was in this situation, lol.

I love the mother/son relationship and how a mother’s love for a child will make her do the right thing when push comes to shove, and it does here! The emotions are real, the marriage trouble relatable, and whether the author meant to add humor or not, I found myself chuckling or smiling at some parts. It’s adventurous, many neighborhood and family secrets, laced with dangers, and a satisfying ending.

I will say there were a couple of discrepancies with the day and year. I may have only picked that up because my birthday is the same as stated in one chapter than the other. Also, the reason of why she was driving her son’s vehicle changed. They’re minor, but I know this can bother some people, it usually bothers me too, but it wasn’t enough to make me want to stop reading it or highly recommending it to some of my friend. Also, I want to check out all her other books!!

I rate it a 4.5

[Sierra Mason · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pretty good book, but there were still a few things here I just didn't enjoy.

Jane killed Grayson. She hit him with her car, saw his lifeless body in the road...and then drove home and left him there. A year later, she's as guilt-ridden as she's ever been, and lonelier than ever. The past year she's been reclusive - ordering her groceries for delivery and only leaving her house to go on long walks around the neighborhood. When her son, Noah, finds journal entries from his mom to the boy she'd run over, he vows to help her get to the bottom of what really happened the night Grayson died, because this 'hit and run' wasn't exactly as it seemed.

I found Jane extremely bothersome. She had a lot of internal monologue that was just whiny and guilty and complaining. And paranoid. "They're looking at me funny. They know what I did. I need to confess. I'm going to tell them everything. My husband is never going to love me again." Like bro, shit or get off the pot. And I thought that a lot of things she said to other people in this book just weren't realistic. I was constantly rolling my eyes at her, thinking "nobody would actually say that". And don't even get me started on how they planted a tree for Grayson and then one year later they have a full-grown tree that the community can decorate with Christmas ornaments.

I think some of the stuff in here was just a bit far-fetched.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read previously books from the talented author, Mary Frances Hill, and was excited to have the opportunity to read her newest release, A Quiet Kind Of Wrong. It was an honor to get my hands and eyes on it. It was easy for me to quickly get hooked on this story. I thought it was a fabulous read. It as full of suspense, mystery, action, drama, and danger. i enjoyed getting to know the main character, Jane Taylor. I found she was relatable and felt as though I knew her in real life. It was great taking this adventure with her and seeing how her story would end. She gets involved in a lot of twists and turns along the way. I never knew what would happen from scene to scene. There were times thinking to myself on what would I do in those situations. I had to continue turning the pages until I read the very last page.



I am going to give A Quiet Kind Of Wrong a very well deserved five plus stars. I highly recommend it for readers who love to read thrillers. I would love to read more like this one in the near future from Mary Frances Hill in the future. I believe this one should not be missed and most definitely worth reading.

I received a paperback copy of Mary Frances Hill's A Quiet Kind Of Wrong from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.

[Anjali Sharma · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The world isn't kind to people who make mistakes. We cancel. We judge. We shun. All good deeds are erased when we falter. In essence, we become our biggest mistake."

- Mary Frances Hill, A Quiet Kind of Wrong

A Quiet Kind of Wrong pulls you in from the very first page and doesn’t let go.

The story opens with a hit-and-run that happens almost immediately. You know what happened. You know who did it. And you know the protagonist is keeping it a secret. As the past starts resurfacing through a true crime podcast and her own son’s curiosity, the calm surface of her life begins to crack.

You think you already know the truth and that confidence keeps you reading. But as the story unfolds, you slowly realize you don’t know nearly as much as you thought. The layers of secrets within the family and the neighborhood are revealed at just the right pace.

This was such a gripping read that I didn’t want to put it down once I started reading. It’s one of those thrillers where you keep telling yourself just one more chapter until you’re suddenly at the end. If you’re looking for a domestic thriller that’s gripping, smart, and impossible to put down once you start, this one is absolutely worth picking up.

[Piper Selden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wowser! This book knocked my socks off. As I was reading, there were times I found myself holding my breath, so maybe it would be better to say that it knocked the wind out of me, but in a good way.

As someone who reads a lot (*and I mean… a lot, a LOT), it takes something special to surprise me. This domestic thriller from Mary Francise Hill did exactly that. The setup grabs the reader right away: one mistake, one secret, and a “Real Housewives” kind of community on edge. Hill details this perfect suburban neighborhood with its perfect suburban families living their perfect suburban lives. Jane is the strong female protagonist who seems to have it all until one catastrophic night shatters the glassy façade. What follows is dark, emotional, and at times torturous.

The author’s exploration of motherhood is especially powerful. The fierce jumble of love, fear, guilt, and devotion is authentic. Achingly so. And each chapter had me wondering what might happen next. Hill’s plotlines are like Lombard Street in San Francisco: so many twists and turns that it’s almost dizzying. Like the street, there are little surprises around each bend. What a great read!

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blow my mind away

A beautiful story of family, friendship, and the power to be truthful to yourself. This book is hard to put down. It blows my mind away. What a beautiful book to read. It is so intriguing. I thought that I knew the killer, but I was wrong—a mother who will do anything to protect his kid and his marriage, that is Jane. Noah, the son, will do the same to protect his Mom as well. Rumors can ruin everything, as always. The key is to keep away from everybody. Friendships that you think you can keep are hard, especially when one person has a hidden agenda. Truth will always set you free.

One thing I learned from this book is to try to listen to a podcast. It could be fun and intriguing, just like in the book. It is my first time reading the author's writing. I am sure it won't be my last.

[Ag · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not my first book by Mary Frances Hill, and I feel like it will not be the last!
If you live for psych thrillers as I do, you might want to look into this one also.
Fast-paced, filled with emotional depth, with complex characters and complex decisions, and then some questionable characters, too. Suspense, emotional stakes, so much suspense, and then loss, grief, familial conflict, trauma, and so so so much emotion.
PSA: not a cheerful, easy, uplifting narrative! Not popcorn-ish! But if you love books that stay with you long after you finish reading them, then this one is for you!

[Therearenobadbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 For readers who love a morally grey (extra grey) character. The first chapter sets it all up: a suburban mom runs over a neighbor's kid, and nothing is the same (for her) after that. I didn't connect with the main character or the author's writing style. Still, I was curious to see how the author would handle this perspective of keeping such a heavy secret and dealing with guilt, family, interaction with neighbors, and uncovering more story and plot twists. The resolution appears in the very last chapters, which is the type of thriller ending that I prefer with a strong closure.

[Aqeelah✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such an interesting and fast-paced read. From the very beginning, it kept me intrigued and constantly guessing about where the story was going. The twist genuinely caught me off guard. I did not see it coming.

The story follows Jane, an author who has been isolating herself in her home for a year after believing she accidentally killed her neighbour’s son and fled the scene. But… did she really do it? 👀 You’ll have to read to find out.

The investigative parts were so engaging. I lowkey felt like a detective while reading 😂 And the villains? They really made me mad in the best way. That Norris guy had me heated, not gonna lie 🤣😭

Overall, A Quiet Kind of Wrong delivers a gripping, emotionally tense thriller that pulls you into Jane’s paranoia and keeps you second-guessing everything. It’s the kind of book that makes you read “just one more chapter” until suddenly you’re way past your bedtime.

[Shreya · Rating 4 out of 5]

A kind of domestic thriller I couldn't put down.

Mary Frances Hill does an excellent job of building tension through the atmosphere.

The story leans heavily on unease, secrets, and the unsettling realization that danger lives right next door. The characters feel grounded, flawed, and painfully human.

The pacing is deliberate, sometimes slow-burn, sometimes fastfreeze but that’s very much part of the charm. .

If you enjoy domestic thrillers that prioritize psychological tension then this is the book for you.

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

The things that bothered me about this story was that everything seemed to fall into place too easily. Answers were always there from people. The mailman. The neighbors daughter. The other neighbors. And why go to all that ridiculous trouble trying to cover tracks of writing letters and documenting every thought only to keep doing it? I am not a fan of books that are too convenient or make you roll your eyes.

[Michelle Godard-Richer · Rating 5 out of 5]

The action begins in the opening pages with a horrible incident and a terrible secret. The main character, Jane, is flawed but relatable as a mother desperate to do what’s best for her son. Her plight and the emotional roller coaster she endures, combined with the suspense of how the story will play out, kept me glued to the page from start to finish. Fans of domestic thrillers will enjoy this one.

[John Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a real harrowing page turner and stunning example of how quickly driving a car can turn deadly. A mother is wracked by guilt after accidently killing a young boy and wants to turn herself in to the police while her teenage son actually talks her out of it. There are a number of twists here and Mrs. Hill keeps the reader guessing to the end. I really enjoyed it. Jack Lander

[cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

secrets & guilt & redemtion

The burden and often accompanied guilt can be devastatingly heavy- the truth even more so. Interesting series of accidental events lead to painful revelations.

[Alicia Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great emotional read that kept my toes curled in anticipation. Family bonds are tested but family will do anything for family. A great read that I recommend to thriller readers. Happy reading!