Hush, Little Bird

by Nicole Trope

Nicole Trope's explosive fourth book tells the story of two very different women. One has been damaged by her disturbing past, the other is a society wife of a television celebrity. We meet them on the celebrity wife's first day in a minimum security prison where the other, much younger, woman is also an inmate. As each woman tells her story in alternating chapters, we gradually come to know how they came to be in prison. As their pasts are revealed we start to realise that they have much more in common than their crimes. Only one woman knows the shocking secret that connects them, and she is determined to have her revenge.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Contemporary, Family, Suspense, Thriller, Australia

384 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2015

About the author

Nicole Trope writes psychological thrillers about families in crisis and the secrets we keep from ourselves and others. She has always been fascinated by the stories behind the headlines and published her first novel in 2012. In 2026 she will publish her 20th novel with Bookouture. She is a USA Today and Amazon bestseller in the USA, UK, AUS, Canada and Germany. Her books have been translated into German, Italian, Polish, Hungarian and French and Japanese.
She lives in Sydney with her husband and three children
Current Publication: What Have You Done?-October 17th 2025
Next publication: A Perfectly Nice Family: March 6th 2026

Reviews

[Suz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was on my radar for quite some time, and I did break my ‘no more books from the library’ rule with it as it needed to be read! Fantastic and challenging, this author writes in a way that is lyrical but haunting with its content.

Birdy is a simple young Australian lass, in gaol awaiting Rose, who she ended end up sharing a unit with in 'The Farm', a low security facility. Something draws these two women together, Birdy had a plan and it was all about Rose.

Says Birdy: “I was only little but I knew what I thought and I knew what I felt. Mum heard what I said but she never heard me at all. She could see me but not see me. I wasn’t going to be like that with Isabel. I heard her and I saw her.” This may sound like simple dialogue, but coming from a girl with Birdy’s past this is exactly what she should be saying, she’s a girl who knows.

A story of a particular brand of grief where we are witness to adults betraying those most vulnerable; our young, our children. Very readable material which I highly recommend to those who enjoy thrillers, contemporary and family relationships. Characters to love and want to reach out for, and characters we wish to push into a hole in the ground and bury alive.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hush, Little Bird tells the story of two women, Birdy and Rose who are in a minimum security prison. As the tale unfolds, we begin to learn about the lives of these two women. Having both been affected by family tragedies over the years in time the women will begin to hold more in common than they ever imagined possible.

Although this story may cover difficult and disturbing topics it is still well worth reading. I was completely engaged in this book right from the start all the way to the end. A compelling and at times heartbreaking story, but one that I have no hesitation in HIGHLY recommending.

[Margitte · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two women land in jail for brutal crimes. Both insisted that it was an accident. The courts and juries disagreed.

One of them was waiting for the moment to meet the other after many years. The other one was not aware of the connection that drove them both to do what they have done in their separate lives.

I became engrossed in this story about women who have been abused in their lives and then preferred to condemn or condone each other, depending on how women are able to handle what is happening to us. Some prefer to fight and others take flight. Some want to deny, others want to be heard and a few want to lash out.

It's not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog that counts

Some have what it takes and some don't. Some children are forced to obey adults and be quiet, others are encouraged to talk. Some get saved, and others lost.

It is a book written for women. Creating atmosphere took a long time. Getting the circumstances thoroughly established and the emotions stirred enough to understand the pain of the women caused the story line to drag, yet everything that needed to be said, was said and then some. I would have preferred to see another component added to the story, just to be fair, and to create balance, and that is the destruction of men's lives who have been wrongfully accused of women abuse by women with alternative agendas. It might not fit into this book's agenda, but since this book addresses this sensitive women's issue and all characters have been created to highlight different elements of it, it should include that for the sake of honesty and truth. Adding yet another character with yet another approach to the theme, would not have been too much.

I skipped a few chapters in the middle since it was clear where the story was heading, it was evident that the issue was bigger than the characters needed to play different roles in it, and the subject have been explored a few billion times already. Too predictable. I read the last ten chapters to conclude an atmospheric, descriptive, psychological crime drama that has been really very well written.

Peeling off the layers of hurt that have been built over many years in the women's lives, took the reader along on the journey of guilt, fear, shame, self blame, anger, sorrow, hurt and humiliation. As the drama unfolds, the self discovery and release of emotions lead to a moment of ultimate confrontation that finally allows the truth to burst out into the open. Being physically incarcerated by the Australian state led to the final release of the shackles that kept the two women locked away in the psychological dungeons of their own minds. To be able to walk free from The Farm, they had to confront themselves and tell the truth.

The story is a complete examination of all the possibilities and elements of abuse and a book highly recommended to women who have not yet discovered their own strengths and truths to address their own secret stories. It is not a male-bashing book at all.

Touching, stirring, disturbing, atmospheric, arresting. Very well done.

I would say 3.5, so let's make it 4.

[Li'l Owl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know where to start in writing a review for this book. It was just that good. From the very beginning, I was drawn in by little Felicity. She is such an incredible character with such depth that I felt like I could reach out and touch her little face. In fact, every single character that author Nicole Trope created has such depth and incredible realism.

I just loved the entire story line. It's so very different. Nicole cleverly combines a murder mystery with family drama and it works brilliantly. Add in an immediate attention grabbing first chapter plus escalating suspense and anticipation of finding out what really happened and how it's going to end and you get a 5★ novel.

Then there is the narrator. Susan Stafford did a superb job! She is able to read the authors words right off the page and plant them directly into your imagination. Susan deftly separates each character into bigger than life, realistic individuals. I loved the way she 'read' Felicity. This is a great book on it's own but it's an even greater audio book. Another great Aussie author + narrator combination.

Nicole Trope entwines both excellent fiction with a true in life message about not underestimating a child, or anyone, labled as Felicity is. I was just mesmerized by how smart Felicity is despite being labeled as 'slow', 'not quite right', or just 'different'. Never judge a book by it's cover so to speak. You'll have to read it, or better yet, listen to the audio version of this book to fully understand what I'm talking about.
In the end, that's what will keep me remembering this book for a very long time in future.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Felicity was called Fliss when she was young – but she hated the sound of it. Like a constant hiss; but in the other place she was called nasty names – ‘retard’ and ‘idiot’. When it was decided between Lucy the lawyer and the judge that Felicity didn’t belong in a conventional prison, she was sent to the Farm. At the Farm she was called Birdy (because she cared for the finches); she wouldn’t answer to anything else then. Also at the Farm, the women who had children were able to have them visit for the weekend once a month; they would stay in the family unit. So Birdy saw Isabel once a month and was very happy, as she thought she would have to wait until she left the Farm to see her. Her sister Lila looked after Isabel – she didn’t want her Mum to have her anymore…

Rose Winslow was about to arrive at the Farm – she had been convicted, much to the shock of her family and their lawyer and although Eric was trying for a retrial, they knew it would take time and that Rose would have to spend some time at the Farm. Everyone said she was lucky to be going there; it was as if her money and privilege had “paved the way”. She had had the support of her daughters Portia and Rosalind, though Rosalind and her husband and children were having a hard time with what had happened.

Birdy had an agenda; but she couldn’t tell anyone what it was. She had to forgive everyone – her counsellor insisted she forgive so she would be able to leave the Farm in a short time. But Birdy had anger inside which she couldn’t let go – her agenda was what would make her feel better. She just had to plan it; make sure it would work – she needed to have her revenge.

As Birdy and Rose lived their days at the Farm – Birdy caring for the finches in the garden aviary; Rose working in the vegetable garden – tensions were rising. Birdy spent her time trying to hide her anger, while Rose reminisced constantly about the past…

Aussie author Nicole Trope has an absolute winner in Hush, Little Bird in my opinion. I absolutely loved it – gripping and intense, but written with sensitivity and compassion, the manner it is written is superb. Alternate chapters in both Birdy’s and Rose’s voices, it tells of their pasts and combines the present. Sad, traumatic but filled with hope, Hush, Little Bird is one I have no hesitation in recommending highly.

With thanks to Allen & Unwin for my copy to read and review.

[Chloe · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars.

Another page turner by Nicole Trope. She writes difficult topics so well. She creates characters who will be remembered long after the last page is turned.

In this book, two damaged women are sent to an Australian low security prison called "The Farm". Neither of them will talk freely about the chain of events that have put them there. But, they are both wanting to put things right, to move on. But moving on is harder for some. Sometimes, the past haunts every waking moment.

Two women from very different backgrounds, but are tied together but a past that can't be forgotten.

"Don't be silenced", says Nicole Trope at the end of the book. "Sing little birds, sing"

This was not an easy read due to the content, but so well written.

[Dale Harcombe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book deals with an important topic in today’s society. However it is anything but a comfortable read.
The story is told from the point of view of two women, Birdy and Rose. They are both in a minimum security prison for crimes against family members. Yes, each of these women has committed a crime but there is far more to it, as we discover when their back stories are revealed. It is left to the reader to consider the influence mitigating circumstances had on the way these two women reacted and the silences that led to anger spilling over.
The way the subject made was handled I found hard to read at times. Yet at the same time I could not put the book aside. I also found it raised lots of questions about the price of silence in such matters and the damage done by people not speaking out or turning a blind eye to what is happening. The use of the finches throughout is a clever touch. It is both literal and metaphorical. The characters are well drawn and the voices distinctive.
One thing I did query when reading this was the line ‘you could get married at sixteen then.’ I was under the impression that to marry at that age you had to have either parental permission or permission from a judge, neither of which the character in the book has. There is a liberal sprinkling of crude language throughout the book which, sadly, seems to be accepted as normal these days.
Thanks to The Reading Room and Allen & Unwin for my copy of this book to read and review. It is not a comfortable read but it is one that is worth reading.

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The cover of this book, a tiny colourful finch held lovingly in a woman's cupped hands, beautifully captures the message of this book; that like finches, children are to be nurtured and cared for less they become forever damaged.

The narrative is told by the alternating voices of two very different women - Rose, wife of a high profile TV celebrity and Fliss, known as Birdy, a slightly retarded young woman struggling to banish the monsters from her past. Both the women are in a low security prison called the farm, Rose at the start of her term but hoping for an appeal and Birdy completing her last few months before being released. Birdy learnt all about caring for finches in her childhood and looks after the prison finches, breeding them for sale by a local pet shop. Rose has never had to work before in her life, having left school to marry but enjoys the weeding and planting in the prison vegetable garden. Unknown to Rose she shares a past with Birdy and as the author slowly and skillfully allows us to see into their lives and their journey to the prison farm, the connection becomes clear and horrifying.

This may be a difficult book for some people to read as it deals with a confronting topic that is often kept secret and allowed to fester underground but more and more is being brought to light these days and the perpetrators punished. However, the author has skilfully unfolded this compelling story with great sensitivity and it is a book well worth reading.

[Daniela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nicole Trope - Das Finkenmädchen
eBook - 353 Seiten

Das hier ist wahrlich keine leichte Kost, das Thema ist einfach viel zu schwierig für mal eben zwischendurch.
Doch trotz des schwierigen Themas hat die Autorin es geschafft, die Seiten spannend und lesenswert zu gestalten.
Den Schreibstil empfand ich als sehr angenehm und flüssig zu lesen, lediglich die Kapitel sind mitunter sehr lang.
Geschrieben wird die Geschichte abwechselnd aus zwei Perspektiven - und wirklich bewundernswert fand ich, dass man nach wenigen gelesenen Worten immer wusste, wer von beiden gerade dran war.
Da war zum einen Felicity - am Schreibstil erkennbar durch die einfachen Sätze, auf denkbar grausame Weise von der Mutter vernachlässigt und vom Nachbarn der Kindheit beraubt.
Und auf der anderen Seite Rose - ihr Erzählstil ist gekennzeichnet durch komplexere Sätze, die zum Schutz ihres Wohlstands lieber einmal mehr weggesehen hat, als sie hätte hinsehen müssen.
Der Leser erfährt hier nach und nach die ganze Geschichte in ihrer vollen Grausamkeit.
Die Autorin schafft es zum einen ganz wunderbar, die verletzte aber doch starke Persönlichkeit von Felicity zu zeigen, wie sie sich selbst als Mutter verhält, wie sie es unbedingt besser machen will, aber auch wie sie als Kind empfunden hat, wie sie die Welt und die Personen um sie herum wahrgenommen hat.
Zum anderen haben wir hier aber auch Rose, die weggeschaut hat - obwohl dieses Verhalten damals wie heute sträflich ist, erfährt der Leser detailliert, wie es überhaupt so weit kommen konnte, warum sie das Verhalten nicht hinterfragt hat, wie sie im Nachhinein darüber denkt und wie es sie verändert hat.
Die Zwiespältigkeit schafft die Autorin in meinen Augen wirklich meisterhaft.
Das Buch regt zum Nachdenken an - was würde man selbst tun? Würde man wegsehen? Oder einschreiten?

* digitales Rezensionsexemplar von NetGalley & Bastei Lübbe

[Shelleyrae at Book'd Out · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nicole Trope's fourth novel, Hush, Little Bird is a thought provoking and heartbreaking story.

Hush, Little Bird is told from the alternative first person perspectives of two very different women, both serving sentences in a minimum security prison, linked by the actions of one man, Simon, a former television celebrity, Birdy's childhood abuser and Rose's late husband.

It is a harrowing tale that details the suffering of a young, vulnerable girl at the hands of her abuser and the lasting consequences of his actions; and the implosion of a dutiful wife's life when her husband's shocking secrets are revealed. Trope gives each woman, both victims, a voice that ultimately shatters the silence
they have taken refuge in to protect themselves.

A story of innocence betrayed, regret, forgiveness and revenge, Hush, Little Bird is told with keen insight and compassion for the victims of abusers. Though this may be a confronting read for some, it is a story that needs to be told.

" I do not want them silenced. I just want them to know that they have been heard"

[Jules · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hush, Little Bird is a psychological drama story that flows well and had me reading for longer each night, as I didn't want to put it down. However, it does cover a sensitive subject that not everyone may wish to read about. Although, I can say the subject is approached in a way that focuses more on the psychological impact, rather than graphic physical impact. Definitely enjoyable and thought provoking!

[Gary Lawrence · Rating 3 out of 5]

First review for 2016. This was an engaging book on the important topic of pedophilia. Birdie (Felicity) is an intellectually slow young woman, who as a young girl was sexually abused by a neighbour who was a famous TV star, working with children. The two woman who could have protected her, her mother and her neighbour (the wife of the abuser), ignored her fearful pleas for help and as an adult woman she is now filled with rage towards them both. The story is completely set in a low security women's prison where both have landed as a consequence of the damage done to them by the abuser.
The book deals well with the degree of long term damage done by trusted adults abusing children and with the reasons that women have for supporting the abuser rather than the victim. It is great that is shows the further multiplying affect that this has on the emotional development of the young victim.
The story is told in alternating first person narrative chapters by Birdie, the victim and Rose the predator's wife, starting on the day Rose enters the prison at the start of her sentence, towards the end of Birdie's sentence for a violent assault. I found that structure a bit forced but it did succeed in revealing what happened from the two viewpoints of victim and possible protector.
We never learned much about the TV star predator except that he is an emotional bully, self centred, secretive, in self denial about what he does and (probably) himself from an abused background. There is a hint of conflict in his apparent protection of his own daughters from his attentions by ignoring them emotionally. However he is just a villain!
I find the author a bit didactic in the way she treats the subject - she is educating us about the important subject of child protection. Most of her readers obviously found this very appropriate but I just found it a little too obvious and cute, most especially in the "happily ever after" ending that I feel unreal for families involved in physical, emotional sexual abuse. Nonetheless a good read.

[Deborah (debbishdotcom) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trope has provided her readers with two very different narrators in this delicious and delicate tale. She had no need to label her chapters as her characters' voices are as disparate as their lives.

We learn of the women's connection early in the novel; and the event that sets Birdy on her course for retribution is fairly obvious—long before she shares it with us. Of more interest however, is how the two characters went from the Rose and Fliss (Birdy) we meet in the 1980s and those in the low-security prison almost thirty years later.

Being privy to the minds of both Birdy and Rose is a treat.

It's almost as if their emotional growth was stifled from the moment they met the enigmatic Simon, and now both are finally realising they're stronger and more resilient than they think.

Trope expertly unpicks at the edges of the plot so it unfolds slowly and elegantly. You know what's coming but aren't sure how you'll all get there. Of course, if you're like me you get so involved you feel impotent—frustrated you can't do anything to prevent the tragic chain of events.


Read the full review on my blog: http://www.debbish.com/books-literatu...

[Faye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good story line did not work the whole thing out until the end which is great. Will definitely be reading more this author.

[Nat PlainJanetheBookworm · Rating 2 out of 5]

This had such potential but it just fell flat for me. It was too slow and dragged. I don’t even have much to say about it 🤷🏽‍♀️

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rose is on trial for the manslaughter of her husband, Simon - a renowned Australian TV celebrity, mostly famous for his hosting of a children's talent show. But, in his early seventies and just as he is just about to be inducted into the Australian TV Hall of Fame, a former contestant on the show, now a grown woman, makes allegations about inappropriate behaviour by Simon during filming of the show. Rose and her daughters Rosalind and Portia are horrified at the allegation - until one allegation becomes two, three, four....twelve. A distraught Simon is finally confronted by Rose, who has always allowed him to lead her life since meeting him at 15 (when Simon was 31!) - in a struggle, Simon dies and Rose ends up in an open prison. Life is not too bad there, but a figure from her past is waiting....
'Birdy', as she is known in the prison because she is skilled at tending the aviary of finches there, has a dark past - as a child, she was a neighbour of Simon and Rose. Simon taught her how to look after his finches - but also abused her. No-one would listen to her at the time and now she is determined to make Rose pay for her failure to protect her as a child....
This was a gripping, and at times quite disturbing, read. The story is told alternately by Rose and Birdy - Rose has been naive and easily-led by Simon, not surprising really as she was only a teenager when an adult aspiring actor, Simon, swept her off her feet. Birdy has always been 'slow' and her single-parent mother had little time for her, hence she was vulnerable to Simon's approaches. Later, Birdy has a child and, in trying in her own way to protect her, ends up seriously assaulting her mother, thus ending up in prison. Great characters and storyline - this is my second read from this author and I'm glad to have several more on Kindle TBR! - 9/10.

[michelle petersen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellemt

Wow! What a well thought out well executed book and the horrors created by pedophilia. Not in the graphic sense, but in the destructive emotional sense of every one remotely touched by it. A great read.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another compelling and heart tearing read from Nicole Trope – what a fantastic author she is! Chapter by chapter we alternate between Birdy and Rose both in a minimum security prison and we discover their stories as the days go by until the end when their stories intertwine. You know a little while into the book how these two ladies have come to be where they are, as parts of their stories start to become apparent. Sometimes the terrible subject of this book is really hard to read about, but also I was unable to put the book down. Both women are linked by Simon, a high profile celebrity, Birdy's childhood abuser and Rose's husband and each chapter as the story alternates we become entranced by the heartbreaking story and how secrets and the silence of people affects so many things. Such a well written book with characters who we come to know and love and want to help through their harrowing stories…… Highly recommend +++

[Gothie BioVenom · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a great read. I want to thank Allen and Unwin for sending me an ARC to read through The Reading Room.

This book is out in July, and I encourage everyone to pick this up.

This is a general fiction/drama set in Australia.
I will put a trigger warning on this as it does deal quite heavily with the sexual abuse and molestation of young girls.
The book has 2 points of view from two women with different lives who end up in the same correctional facility.
It was a great look into the mindset of young mothers, young wives, the sexually abused and the woman standing next to the abuser.
The book doesn't have a happy ending, but it is a positive one. The focus being on rehabilitation and growth for the two women and their families.

[CL · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hush, Little Bird is both thought provoking and compelling story but never the less is a story that needs to be told about a subject no one ever talks about. Two very different women are in prison for committing two separate crimes but they are linked by one man. Birdy and Rose are housed in the same prison and were once neighbors but Rose does not recognize her nor does she realize that Birdy plans on getting her revenge. Fast paced read. I would like to thank the Publisher and Net Galley for the chance to read this ARC.

[Jo Rushby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was eagerly awaiting this novel to be published. Nicole Trope has become one of my favourite authors.
It is a story of 2 women incarcerated. One is a celebrity wife and the other has a damaged past. They both hold a secret that links them to their past.
Thanks to Allen and Unwin and the reading Room for the ARC copy.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

What another fantastic Nicole Trope novel, her books are amazing and hook you in from the first chapter and just keep going until you finish the book :) highly recommended :)

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I could not get into this book. It was very repetitious and confusing. I only got 25% read. Maybe I will try it another time.

[Kittyzer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sehr traurig und sehr wichtig.

[Alex · Rating 2 out of 5]

Beide Hauptfiguren wurden leider nicht besonders interessant gemacht. Das Thema ist natürlich wichtig, allerdings ist alles ziemlich vorhersehbar. Die Textabschnitte aus der Perspektive von Birdy sind sehr anstrengend zu lesen durch die ständigen Wiederholungen und die gleichen Satzanfängen „Ich Ich Ich“. Natürlich unterstreicht es ihre „langsame“ Denkweise, ist als Leser aber schwierig..

[Amanda - Mrs B's Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

The small yellow bird that graces the cover of Nicole Trope’s fourth book, Hush, Little Bird symbolises the theme of birds that runs throughout Trope’s harrowing new psychological drama novel. Birdy is the nickname given to one of two very distinct character voices of Trope’s novel. Birdy is a young woman who is a gentle but damaged soul, with a history of abuse. Birdy is also unable to control her impulses and as a result has been incarcerated in a low security correctional facility, soon to be released. Joining Birdy in the correctional facility is a woman connected to Birdy’s painful past, which the reader slowly learns about their connection through the gradual unfolding of the narrative. Rose, Birdy’s inmate, is a celebrity wife of a famous television entertainer, recently deceased, who has been accused of heinous crimes of a sexual nature towards young women. The crux of the novel is the revelation of secrets Birdy and Rose have held for many years involving the late Simon, the abuser.
Having read all of Nicole Trope’s books to date, I have to say that Hush, Little Bird is probably her best yet. A word of warning though, I have to admit that this novel was not an easy read, mainly due to the hard to handle sensitive content centered on the abuse of Birdy and other victims. I thought that Trope demonstrated her ability to convey a hard hitting topic with grace and sensitivity. Trope gives much needed insight into a topic which needs exposure to the public. The main topic of the book, child abuse and justice, comes at a time where there seems to be a number of high profile cases involving celebrity entertainers who have abused these sense of power over the innocent. Much of the book had me thinking about the cases involving entertainers Jimmy Saville, Rolf Harris and Gary Glitter. It really is a powerful story that needs to be told and Trope is skilled in her delivery of such a difficult topic. What I also drew from Hush, Little Bird is how much I value Trope’s choice of narrative style how she manages to flawlessly alternate between the two well defined character voices of Birdy and Rose. Trope is also able to draw you right into the story, keeping the pages turning right to the end, by choosing to reveal the secrets each character is holding gradually. I definitely found it very hard to close this book, despite the subject matter. Hush, Little Bird is another stellar read from Nicole Trope, a skilled voice in Australian fiction.

[Natalie S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nicole Trope’s fourth novel sees her dealing with extremely sensitive subject matter with a deft hand. The prose is very well-written and the characterisation is fantastic, as she mainly focuses on two damaged women. One is a vengeful special needs person named Birdy while the other is a middle-aged celebrity wife named Rose. Their two entwining stories are interesting to read, especially as Trope reveals little details bit-by-bit and shows that there is a lot more to this story than originally meets the eye.

The pair are currently housed in the Farm, a minimum security prison that acts as a halfway house between a more traditional gaol and life outside. Both of these women have been touched by family tragedies and their reactions have seen them land themselves “behind bars”. Both have very distinct voices, from the childish and literal Birdie who seems to either have a learning difficulty, some form of high-functioning autism or both and the more mature but in some ways rather fragile, Rose.

This story is a heart-breaking, family drama. But it is told in such a clever way that it grips you in. This means that as a reader you will find yourself being totally immersed by it, despite the very difficult subject matter. Both women share emotional scars but Trope uses some interesting methods to expose these, namely the use of finches as a kind of metaphor for freedom and helplessness.

Hush, Little Bird is a great story about some women who were taken advantage of by various people and things and this is particularly sad because this often occurred when they were at their most vulnerable. This is one heavy and emotional book but at the same time it should be applauded for its straight-up storytelling because this lends the proceedings an honest and authentic feel. Nicole Trope’s fourth book is likely to be viewed by some people as explosive and provocative but this is also the sign of a brilliant storyteller because this book will wrestle with your heartstrings and command you to sit up and listen. In short, it’s excellent.

[Floras bookdoM · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dank der Lesejury durfte ich an einer Leserunde zu Das Finkenmädchen teilnehmen.

Das Cover hat mich auf den ersten Blick angesprochen. Ich liebe einfach den Stil, in dem es gemacht ist. Jedoch ist es Rückblickend nicht so passend, weil es ziemlich harmlos aussieht, das Buch aber nicht ganz so harmlos ist. So ist die eine Sicht. Andererseits ist es aber auch echt passend, weil hinter der Hülle unerwartete Dinge warten.

Im Buch geht es um Birdy und Rose, die sich beide nach 25 Jahren wieder sehen. Nach einer solangen Zeit hat sich bei Birdy einen Hass gegen Rose gesammelt, den sie nun endlich raus lassen möchte.

Als ich anfing mit lesen, war ich sofort von dem Buch gefesselt. Die Kapitel haben eine angenehme länge. Nach jedem Kapitel wechselt die Sicht von Rose zu Birdy und von Birdy zu Rose. Anfangs war mir dies nicht bewusst und ich habe mich gewundert wo wie was gerade passiert. Da diese Wechsel nicht gekennzeichnet sind, ist dies nochmal schwerer zu erkennen.

Rose und Birdy sind gut dagestellt und unterschiedlich. Beim Lesen werden einem die Charaktäre sehr nahe gebracht und es bleiben immer Rätsel zu ihrem Leben. Nach und nach hat man innerhalb der Kapitel Zeitsprünge in die Vergangenheit gehabt und so immer stückchenweise Informationen zu den Leben der Beiden und deren Umstände erfahren. Es haben sich immer neue Fragen gestellt nachdem eine andere beantwortet war. Somit bleibt die Spannung die ganze Zeit vorhanden, weil die Vergangenheit eine sehr große Rolle in dem Buch spielt.

Die Handlungen und das Thema waren echt genial gewählt. Für mich ist das Thema einfach sehr wichtig, weil es leider noch ein Teil in unserer Gesellschaft ist und man es nicht ignorieren darf. Es ist Realität und man muss etwas dagegen unternhemen, denn dies hat keiner verdient.

Für mich ist es einfach ein Highlight und absolut empfehlbar für jeden Leser, der es mag über Bücher noch nachdenken zu müssen wenn sie schon ausgelesen sind.

[Lara Cain Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hush, Little Bird tackles secrets and lies around child sexual abuse, exploring mental health issues and the thorny concept of ‘justice’. It’s a disturbing read, of course, but also an important one in this age of revelations about institutionalised abuse. It highlights the importance of allowing children to have a voice; something that we are beginning to understand as a society now that the ghosts of the ‘seen but not heard’ years walk amongst us.

In this case, the ‘institution’ is not a church or school, but the hallowed quarters of a popular TV show and its charismatic star, Simon. The story is told from the perspectives of two survivors of his actions as they cross paths in a low security prison.

Rose, Simon’s faithful wife, supported him unquestioningly as his career began to crumble under the weight of sinister accusations. She gave him the benefit of the doubt right up until the end…when she found the crucial evidence…and the gun went off.

Birdy was a naïve little girl from a troubled family when she first met Simon. She’s imprisoned as an adult for lashing out at those she holds responsible for her broken childhood. She’s due for release as soon as her psychologist gives the OK; Birdy might be ‘a bit slow’ but she knows how to say all the right things while she plots her ultimate revenge.

A full review of this novel can be found at http://thischarmingmum.com

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hush little Bird is a difficult read in that it is very emotional and touches on some very difficult and disturbing topics. Despite this is is an amazing read and follow the path of two women who paths are entwined by the sins of the past. The two women find themselves in jail following difficulties in their lives, a path has brought them back together but only one of them remembers and is plotting her revenge. The 2 women are broken in different ways and from the same events of the past, the book alternates chapters between them until you get to the reason that they are both in jail. The book is set in Australia in an open air womens prison, a sort of half way house before returning to normal life. I really enjoyed reading this book and it only took a couple of days to get though. I would recommend this book but with the warning that some very sensitive topics are covered.


I would like to thank The Reading Room and the publisher for my advanced reading copy.