She’s planning the perfect wedding. She’s also planning the perfect murder.
Emily Byrd has everything she ever a beautiful home, a perfect fiancé, and the wedding of her dreams just days away. But perfection has always felt like a performance and Emily has grown tired of playing her part.
Behind closed doors, she’s plotting something unthinkable. Her fiancé, Remmy Black, trusts her with his life. He shouldn’t.
Lurking on the edges of their quiet neighborhood is Miss Volkova, the enigmatic neighbor whose watchful presence unsettles Emily in ways she can’t explain. And then there’s Matt, Remmy’s best friend, whose loyalty to Remmy makes him dangerously curious... too close to uncovering secrets Emily would kill to protect.
As the wedding approaches, Emily’s carefully tended plans begin to fray. The question isn’t whether she can go through with it-it’s whether she can keep anyone from noticing until it’s too late.
Dark, tense, and unsettling, Rooted in Silence is a psychological thriller about obsession, secrets, and the twisted lengths we go to for control.
Rooted in Silence is the kind of psychological suspense that settles into your mind and stays there long after you’ve turned the final page. It’s beautifully written — eerie and comforting at once — and the atmosphere is so rich you can almost feel it pressing in around you.
What impressed me most was the intentional build-up. A.M. Walker crafts every scene with care, letting tension simmer quietly beneath the surface. The characters are layered and complex, each one revealing pieces of themselves slowly, in ways that keep you leaning forward and needing more.
This story feels grounded, introspective, and deeply emotional, with the kind of subtle psychological weight that reminds me of Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train — but with its own unique voice and heartbeat.
If you love: ✔️ Slow-burn psychological suspense ✔️ Domestic tension ✔️ Character-driven storytelling ✔️ Dark, unsettling atmosphere
…this debut is absolutely worth your time. A powerful start to a new trilogy — and I’m already desperate for book two.
Thank you to Harbor & Stone Press and A.M. Walker for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is unlike any book I have read before. I love psychological thrillers, so I was excited to dive in. It did not disappoint. I loved this book. It is a chilling story that I think will stay with me for a long time, in the best way.
The character dynamics intrigued me from the beginning. The book was really well written and left me wanting to read the rest of the series. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a good thriller with an original idea.
"She’s planning the perfect wedding. She’s also planning the perfect murder."
Rooted in Silence (Root & Vein Series – Book 1) by @authoramwalker
A brilliantly written debut novel! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Publisher: @harborandstonepress Genre: Psychological Thriller "Releasing in January 2026!"
Blurb : Emily Byrd has the dream life, With her perfect wedding days away, Emily is secretly planning something far darker than vows. Her trusting fiancé Remmy has no idea. Matt, his best friend, is getting too curious. And her eerie neighbor Miss Volkova seems to know more than she should. As the countdown to the wedding begins, Emily’s carefully crafted lies start to unravel.
"Some secrets bloom quietly… and some roots grow deepest in the dark."
My Thoughts: I truly didn’t know what I was stepping into with this book. Emily’s thoughts shocked me from page one girl, WHY are you doing this?! I couldn’t understand why she’d ruin such a “perfect” relationship. but slowly, the story pulled me in like vines wrapping around your ankles.
The small things… tiny dismissals… quiet hurts… They change you more deeply than anyone realises.
Remmy bothered me the most outwardly trusting and calm, but his behavior..It’s subtle, uncomfortable, and yes. soft gaslighting.
Matt is way too nosy, and the scenes between him and Emily?Nerve-wrecking. I held my breath through those moments.
And then there’s Miss Volkova mysterious, sharp, unsettling, and weirdly comforting. Honestly, we all need a Volkova in our lives… someone who sees the truth behind our silence.
The ending was absolutely brillian!! I loved it!!
I wasn’t the same person finishing the book as I was when I started it. It hits you with thoughts about control, survival, and the strength women carry in shadows.
I also loved the botanical knowledge woven into the story.
Honestly, I think I was rooting for Emily… or maybe for every woman who has carried too much, for too long.
This book is unique, bold, chilling, empowering, and unlike anything I’ve read in the psychological thriller genre. I highly recommend Rooted in Silence to thriller lovers, especially women.
I found Rooted in Silence to be a highly entertaining and unsettling read, refreshing and unique in its attitude. Rarely is a reader launched into the mind of the villain of a story and this vantage point changes everything.
Emily Byrd has a good life, a nice home and a fiancé who loves her without question, but she is plotting an unforgivable crime. The clinical way that she schemes is unnerving, and I loved the fact that Walker doesn't make any attempt to romanticise her character - quite the opposite. Emily is a thoroughly unlikeable human, with practically no redeeming qualities, which is what makes being inside her head so disquieting, and also, rather fun.
There are only really 4 characters in the story, which makes the writing feel compact and intimate. Emily, her fiancé Remmy, his best friend Mat and the enigmatic Ms Volkova, are entwined in the plot, in the countdown to the big night, and at times it's hard to say whether one of the characters is a friend or a foe.
I found myself analysing Emily's personality throughout the book, her desperation for control, her manipulation and being unsure whether she is mentally unstable, has some kind of personality disorder or is just plain wicked. I love the fact that it is never explained, the reader is left to make their own interpretations and possibly even wonder if they don't share some of her traits. How far away are any of us from becoming a monster?
Overall, Rooted in Silence is a fast paced little read, that many will rattle through in one sitting. Fiendishly clever.
A Slow-Burn Psychological Thriller That Creeps Under Your Skin
I was lucky enough to read Rooted in Silence as an ARC and as part of the street team, and it’s a book that stayed with me long after the final page.
A.M. Walker has created a tense, atmospheric psychological thriller that leans into emotional unease rather than fast-paced shock value. This is very much a slow-burn story – one that builds quietly, layer by layer, until you realise just how deep the roots of the mystery go.
The writing is thoughtful and immersive. You can feel the main character’s anxiety, uncertainty, and growing sense of unease. Her detachment, her fear, and her need to keep parts of herself hidden all felt incredibly authentic. I especially appreciated how the author explored the idea of secrets – how they shape us, protect us, and sometimes trap us.
The plot unfolds gradually, revealing just enough to keep you guessing without giving too much away. There were moments where the tension felt almost suffocating, and I found myself constantly second-guessing characters and motives.
For me, the only reason this isn’t a full five stars is that the final section felt slightly rushed compared to the careful build-up. I wanted just a little more depth and breathing room in the ending after such a strong emotional journey. Overall, though, this is an impressive read – haunting, emotional, and cleverly constructed. I’d recommend it to readers who enjoy character-driven thrillers with a psychological edge.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Rooted in Silence is a chilling psychological thriller that proves the most unsettling horrors rarely come from strangers. A. M. Walker crafts a slow burn narrative that burrows under your skin while blending domestic intimacy with an ever tightening sense of dread.
Told from an intimate perspective the novel explores control, obsession, and the dangerous power of appearances. Emily is a protagonist who feels disturbingly real. Her meticulous routines, fixation on order, and quiet justifications make each chapter more tense than the last. The contrast between beautiful imagery and sinister intent is handled with precision.
Walker’s prose is elegant and deliberate. It allows tension to build naturally rather than relying on only shock. The pacing is methodical. It rewards patient readers with mounting unease and an atmosphere that feels claustrophobic. Fans of The Silent Patient and Gone Girl will appreciate the psychological depth and moral ambiguity woven throughout this story.
What makes Rooted in Silence stand out most is its restraint. It trusts the reader to notice what is unsaid and makes the quiet moments in the book just as powerful as the confrontations. This is a haunting examination of how easily love can curdle into control and how danger often hides behind even the most polished smiles.
I will reiterate what another reviewer said about this book, it's like no other book I've read. I could not put it down and was intrigued the whole time. Rooted in Silence is a psychological thriller that I won't forget. We all read books we forget what it was about the next week but this book is so different and it stays with you. I am looking forward to reading the trilogy she has written. A.M. Walker did an amazing job as a first time author. I see a great future ahead!
I really enjoyed Rooted in Silence. It’s one of those books that slowly gets under your skin and then suddenly you’re way more invested than you expected to be. The tension builds in such a quiet, unsettling way, and I loved constantly questioning the characters and their motives. It felt very atmospheric and psychological without trying too hard. I found myself wanting to pick it back up every time I put it down. Such a solid, gripping read. I’m already curious where this story goes next!!
Rooted in Silence is a psychological domestic drama. The book follows Emily Byrd in the weeks leading up to her wedding, immediately after which she plans to murder her fiancé. The story is told in first-person through Emily’s eyes. This allows readers intimate knowledge of her dark thoughts and intentions. Being inside Emily’s head adds murkiness to the plot as we try to separate hard facts from Emily’s interpretation of events.
I thoroughly enjoyed the way the story unfolded in pieces, snapshots of Emily’s day-to-day. The action sometimes felt staccato, but for me, that added to the tension. I imagined Emily going through the motions, hardly registering some moments of her day while lost deep in her own thoughts.
I found myself completely enthralled by the process of untangling Emily’s opinions and perspectives from the truth - about circumstances, events, and other characters. In my opinion, this is the mark of a fantastic psychological suspense. Readers are constantly guessing and second-guessing everything. Rooted in Silence is slow-burn suspense and psychological tension that gradually mounts to a conclusion I did not see coming!
In addition to a cleverly crafted plot, this book includes a fascinating cast of characters. I am dying to learn more about Ms. Volkova in particular. She seems cunning and capable, calculating and compelling - a woman I would be equal parts terrified and honored to know!
The writing has been described as lyrical, and I wholeheartedly agree. The prose is not overly complicated and bogged down by unnecessary words. It is breezy and fresh - moving the story along while painting vivid images. Readers are immersed in the sights, sounds, and smells of Emily’s world, creating a riveting sensorial experience.
I can NOT wait for the rest of this trilogy. I am so curious to learn more about Emily’s childhood and family, the experiences and people that whittled her into the woman so desperate for widowhood. I would also love to learn more about the other characters. I am definitely not ready to leave this world behind with its unanswered questions and loose ends. I am glad that A. M. Walker will be bringing us more of the Rooted in Silence universe in the future!
This debut has a gentle, poetic quality that perfectly complements the slow burn psychological suspense thriller. The prose has that fantasy-leaning lyricism that stirs your imagination keeping the tempo driving forward, creating an atmosphere that’s easy to sink into, and hard to put down.
At the center is a main character carrying a quiet psychological weight. You sense it before you fully understand it, and that uncertainty becomes one of the book’s most compelling threads. Small memories of her mother surface here and there, offering just enough insight to keep you curious while holding back the full picture. As the story progresses, those hints deepen, and you find yourself wanting to understand what shapes her choices.
The dynamic between Emily and Remmy adds another layer of intrigue. I kept turning the pages wanting to uncover what, exactly, had driven Emily toward the drastic actions she was considering. Their tension builds slowly and intentionally, revealing pieces of their history in a way that keeps you leaning forward.
Readers who enjoy slow-burn mysteries, lyrical prose, and character-driven stories will find plenty to appreciate here. This is a book that takes its time and lets mood and emotion guide the way. It’s introspective, atmospheric, and grounded in the inner lives of its characters. As the first installment in a planned three-part series, it lays a thoughtful foundation and hints at deeper layers still to come. Enjoy settling into this world and watching it unfold over time; this debut offers a promising start.
Thanks so much to the author for including me in her ARC team. It’s a privilege to read work ahead of release and be part of the journey as this series unfolds.
People say it’s cliché for an author to review their own book, and maybe it is. But after spending years inside this world, I want to explain why Rooted in Silence was a five-star experience for me.
This story asks one simple but uncomfortable question:
Why do we sometimes find ourselves resonating with someone we think we shouldn’t?
If you ever felt conflicted about empathizing with the “wrong” character, then you understood the true heart of the book. It’s not about suggesting that everyone has a killer inside them. It’s about the way our minds create ideas, assumptions, and labels about others. And once we reduce someone to a label, we give ourselves permission to treat them in ways we normally wouldn’t.
This book is meant to challenge how we see people in everyday life. It’s meant to ask whether the labels we assign are ever the full truth. There is good in the world and there is evil in the world, and sometimes one wins for a while. That doesn’t mean the story is over. It means we keep looking deeper.
Writing this novel has been one of the most meaningful experiences of my life. I am an indie author with my very first book out in the world, and I could not be more grateful.
Thank you to every single person who read, reviewed, shared, or supported this story. Thank you to my incredible ARC team of twenty readers who helped shape the final version purely out of passion and kindness.
Thank you for holding this story with me.
And in summary of the story: It's not enough to treat others with kindness. Evil starts within our own minds.. & our thoughts are more powerful than we first realize.
This book was fantastic! It is a slow burn Psychological Suspense Thriller that follows the main character down a dark path in a wedding ritual that is all too familiar, but then isn’t ordinary at all. The usually extraneous characters were not at all a throw away in this one! All of them play a vital role and unfold as the story does. The prose was beautiful and thoughtful. The characters had depth and depravity. It’s the following of minds unraveling or are they just without a conscience? There is no gore or spice and that fits this story perfectly. I highly recommend this book for people that love a meticulous, dark, evenly paced, emotion based psychological, suspense story. It has vibes like The Silent Patient, Gone Girl and The Only One Left. Hard to believe this is a debut. It is the first in the trilogy and I need book 2 right now!
WOW! I was completely blown away that this is a debut novel! From the first few pages I was HOOKED. I didn't want to put it down and ended up finishing in less than 2 days. Each page turn was filled with suspense. Was someone going to die? Would the FMC get caught? What was going to happen next? I absolutely loved the view point of being inside the mind a slightly psychotic woman. This book really sheds the light on those sadistic thoughts that some people have but we would never know. It truly shows you cannot judge a book by its cover because we never know what someone's true thoughts or intentions may be. Let's not forget honorable mention of Ms. Volkova. She was absolutely phenomenal. If you love being on the edge of your seat, suspense so good it'll make you hold your breath, and diving into those deep, dark thoughts order this book ASAP!
I had to sit with this for a few days after I read it…..That’s the kind of book this is.
It leaves a lasting impression, like Rocky Horror Picture show. It’s like, what did I just read? In the BEST ways possible…..and you keep replaying it in your mind like an earworm.
The writing is almost poetic in all of its descriptions and comparisons. The story is unputdownable. You HAVE to know what’s happening next.
Spending so much time in what I would deem a sociopaths mind is a mindf**k in and of itself, but then you find yourself wanting her to succeed at the same time you detest her.
Writing something like this is honestly BRILLIANT.
This book pulled me in right from the start and didn’t let go. I was fascinated by the thoughts of the main character, Emily. I wanted to understand her obsession with the idea of killing her husband, and although the book gives us some hints of why, it didn’t give all the answers. I’m hoping we’ll learn more about her in the next 2 books of the series. The pacing is slow, but not in a bad way, more of a methodical study in motivation and opportunity. I found myself mirroring Emily’s fear when the action got a little intense. The book is well written and I can’t wait to read more of this series.
how do i even explain what i just read? i am so astonished rn. this book was atmospheric, you could feel every awkward silence and every tense moment. now i will say this book had a slow start, but it was absolutely perfect in building up the momentum it needed. the second half of this book was amazing. from the start, there was this very clear ending established. reading this book was like watching a spider spin a web, you already know what you’re watching, but you’re entranced by it anyway. the last few chapters had me HOOKED. this book was so well written & i was so thoroughly entertained whilst reading it.
Rooted In Silence…. Such a great storyline. Even from just reading the back of the book, or… personally hearing part of the story in person 😉. This Author brings out the storyline in so many ways, from planning a wedding, and having the perfect life to having secrets and obsessions. But is she alone? The suspense of waiting to see what’s going to happen next? Who is she going to murder? All I can say is, WOWWW. I’ve never come across such a book with such passion in the storytelling. Thank you A. M Walker for bringing a murder to life for readers like me!
This psychological thriller pulls you in from the start with its dark premise and steadily building tension. The author’s writing is descriptive and detailed, making it easy to visualize each scene and feel the unease beneath Emily’s seemingly perfect life. As wedding plans move forward, the story layers in suspicion, secrets, and unsettling characters that keep you guessing about what will unravel first. The pacing keeps the tension tight, and the author’s attention to detail makes the danger feel real and close. Overall, it’s a gripping read that stays with you long after the final page.
I loved this book! It’s a psychological suspense thriller that is a meticulous telling of how a seemingly normal person doing normal things can maneuver into to the dark! I love that it’s twisty but with a slow, strategic build up! The depth of the characters is amazing! If you like The Silent Patient vibes, then you will love this one! Highly recommend!
This is a great read- both mysterious and chilling. The description and literary language transport you into the story and immediately make you relate to the characters. I appreciated the botany integration, and couldn’t wait to see how it ended! As a mom who misses reading, this was a great book to get lost in.
Rooted in Silence took me down a road of suspense. A bride, a wedding and a murder. This book kept me waiting for the next try; the next attempt. I thought I saw the end coming but it twisted. Grab your copy if you enjoy a good psychological thriller.
I absolutely loved this book by A.M. Walker. Her writing style is immersive and intentional from the very first page—there’s a clear sense of where the story is headed, yet the journey unfolds with such care and precision that the climax still caught me completely off guard. The slow, deliberate build made the twist all the more powerful.
What stood out most to me was her ability to paint each scene so vividly that I felt like I was watching the story unfold rather than reading it. The intricate details, the atmosphere, and the emotional depth made every moment feel tangible and real. A.M. Walker has a rare gift for visual storytelling, and it shows on every page. I cannot wait for the second book in the series—I have no doubt it will exceed every expectation.