Not a Word

Natalie Marsh #1

by Stephanie Black

Psychologist Natalie Marsh is a pro at keeping secrets. She not only guards her clients’ confidences but also expertly hides her own pain after being disinherited by her dying mother. As fresh personal challenges begin heaping on top of professional ones, Natalie’s best friend, Camille, confides that she thinks someone is stalking her. Natalie suspects that stress, not a stalker, is shadowing Camille—but Camille’s fear only continues to grow when the widow of a local businessman starts whispering that her husband was murdered and a new client of Natalie’s seems to be concealing something much more frightening than her inability to stand up for herself. Soon a shattering crime proves the danger is real. But when everyone has something at stake, is there anyone Natalie can trust? Or will she fall victim to a killer who will do anything to keep secrets hidden?

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Suspense, Romance, Mystery Thriller, Audiobook, Book Club

480 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 1, 2016

About the author

Stephanie Black has loved books since she was old enough to grab the pages, and has enjoyed creating make-believe adventures since she and her sisters were inventing long Barbie games filled with intrigue and danger or running around pretending to be detectives. She is a four-time Whitney Award winner for Best Mystery/Suspense novel.

Stephanie lives in California, in the Bay Area. She plays the violin in a community symphony (but never practices enough), enjoys homemade chocolate-chip cookies, and takes pictures of birds. Her favorite activity is spending time with her family, currently consisting of her husband, five kids, three kids-in-law, a cat, and three grandpets.

Reviews

[Mindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love finishing a book with a headache. I know that sounds weird, but it's true. I will take a Stephanie Black "book headache" any day. The action and suspense in this book does not stop until the last page. There are so many twists that had me at the edge of my seat. Stephanie truly is a master at writing books. She plants the perfect seeds throughout, many times I was flipping back and forth to remind myself of things. The POV switches in NOT A WORD are perfect. It was the perfect way to keep me turning pages fast and to see different character views. I can't even talk about characters in fear of giving the whole thing away. A couple quick thing, I did really enjoy Natalie's character, Gideon too was a surprise. I was also thrilled with the outcome of certain characters, too. I can't say anything else!

5 out of 5 stars. Don't plan on getting much done until you finish reading!

Received a complimentary copy, all views and opinions expressed are my own.

[Mara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great suspense/thriller from Stephanie Black. I listened to this one more than I read it because I didn't want to put it down, and I could get things done or drive while listening to it.

Natalie Marsh is a psychologist whose life is about to be completely turned upside down and she's not going to know who to trust. I'm not saying anything else about that because I don't want to accidentally spoil it for anyone.

There are a lot of twists and turns in the story. There are quite a few characters in this book and as you read you find out their lives are intertwined more than you originally thought they were.

I liked Natalie's character--she's easy to like. I didn't like her sister, Andrea, at all. A couple of characters surprised me and at one point I wondered if everyone but Natalie was crazy. I was completely shocked to out who did it.

[Lucinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a twisted, unputdownable tale! How many mentally ill characters can you have in a story and make it work so well?

I've read all of Stephanie's books and this one is the creepiest. I kept trying to guess who the "bad guy" was, knowing it was not who it appeared to be, just like in Agatha Christie's books. Amazing how it was all connected.

The ending was the sweetest. Really loved it!

Highly recommend.

[Sharon Hogenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book of Stephanie Black that I've read in a very long time, even though I do enjoy most of her books. It was a gripping story, interwoven like few are, but that in and of itself made this book a little sad. In a murder mystery when everyone knows everyone, someone known and loved has to die, and someone known and loved has to be the killer.

However, even with that I'm looking forward to reading more in this series.

[Sheila (sheilasbookreviewer) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author Stephanie Black has a new mystery/suspense novel out called, Not A Word. This book grabs you from the first page and the angst and suspense don't let up throughout the book. Stephanie knows how to create the tension and arouse suspicion on every single character. I'm always impressed at how she writes a mystery so detailed and interwoven that you know it must have taken many hours to map it out.

Main character Natalie Marsh is one I liked because she was so well balanced. Natalie isn't all super woman nor quivering maiden in distress; she is strong and confident at times, but also shows normal human weakness and is vulnerable. The reader is very able to relate to her and how she handles most things. This character has had a hard life, but still manages to be well rounded and likable. Some of the other characters are over the top strange and campy, but they were fun to read about; for example wealthy businessman Bob Chapman, Lacey's husband Jonas, Natalie's sister Andrea, and even Camille, Natalie's best friend.

Not A Word is addicting and is hard to put down. Don't rely on the "Just one more chapter" and think you'll be able to go to bed. I was kept fully engrossed in the story trying to piece everything together. I know that other readers will find this to be true with them too. I liked this mystery/ suspense, the well-written plot and the variety of quirky characters that will keep you reading into the wee hours of the night.

[Tressa (Wishful Endings) · Rating 4 out of 5]

NOT A WORD was an intense suspense that continued to build through the climatic end. There were some quirky characters, a light romance, and plenty of crazy drama to add some character to the story. This is one story that is sure to entertain suspense readers from beginning to end!

It took me a couple chapters in before I felt I had all the characters straightened out, but then once I did, I followed the story easily. There are definitely some seriously quirky and crazy characters in this story. It was a little mind-boggling at times. I really liked Natalie and Gideon. They were unique, consistent, and worked well together. I suspected the villain at a certain high society event, but I wasn't quite sure what all the details were or who else might be involved. It really was quite heartbreaking when everything is unveiled and then reading what happens to Natalie, which was quite terrible. I loved the ending, as it just felt spot on for these characters and story!

In the end, was it what I wished for? I enjoyed this story the further I got in the book and the more the underlying tension built. And that ending was intense and then ended perfectly sweet, which I loved. This was the first book I've read from this author, but definitely won't be my last.

Content: Some violence, but clean for the genre.
Source: Received a complimentary copy from the publisher, which did not require a review nor affect it in any way.

[Katie (hiding in the pages) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Creeeeepy! This book is one of those that you don't want to read late at night when you're home alone because you will totally scare yourself silly. I love a book that's full of suspense and keeps me on my toes, trying to guess the motives and who the suspects really are.

There are quite a few characters in this book and it took me a little while to figure out who was who and their relationships to each other, but once I did (well, even before that), I was completely hooked. I couldn't read the book fast enough to find out how it would all end.

There are some great characters here and the book moves back and forth between a few different points of view, which really enhances the story, as we get to watch the story unfold from more than one perspective. This is a great device in this suspenseful mysteries because I seriously couldn't unravel things on my own, but found myself desperately trying to piece things together a snippet at a time, as the plot progressed. I loved seeing things through the eyes of so many and loved the way they were all bound together in some way. I still kind of have the chills.

Content: some violence (nothing too graphic).

*I received a copy from the publisher. I voluntarily reviewed this book and all opinions are my own.*

[Aimee · Rating 4 out of 5]

If mystery/suspense is a genre you love, you really need to read this book. Stephanie Black is so good at weaving a mystery where I am constantly trying to guess who and why. Every chapter has me looking at people and events differently, suspecting everyone, and I love that.

There were quite a lot of characters in this book. It took me a good third of the book to feel like I had a good grasp on each character and who they were but it did happen and by the end of the book I felt like I knew each person and I could give a detailed description to the police. Ha!

I loved the pacing of this book that had me interested and involved in the plot from the beginning. There was never a dull moment. The ending was gangbuster and had my heart pounding. I was reading so fast I had to stop myself and go back to read more slowly so I didn't miss something! Awesome, right?

Content: Some violence but otherwise clean.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. A favorable review was not required and all opinions expressed are my own.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun, fast read.

[Vgathright · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a surprisingly good book! I'm not a fan typically of LDS fiction, as sometimes the writing is sub par or the LDS element doesn't seem to fit. (although admittedly I've read very little of it).
This book was probably one of my favorite murder mysteries of all time. It didn't actually have any LDS elements in it, and I think could do very well on the main market. But mostly I thought the author was brilliant in both her crafting her mystery in a way that was believable, unpredictable, intense and deep without being overly disturbing. She also had great moments of wit and banter (think Gilmore Girls or Veronica Mars) that somehow worked given the intensity of the story. I will definitely check out more from this author.

[NaDell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about Natalie Marsh and the threads that bind her to suspicious cases of murder. There's plenty of suspense and excitement and hope that everything will turn out okay in the end, but there are so many things to figure out that it takes most of the book.

[Heidi Tighe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun read, great mystery! Getting book 2 now!

[Kim Dennis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not 100% sure how to rate this one. I thought the intrigue was really good. I didn't figure out who the killer was until about a chapter before it was revealed. The twists and turns it took, and the way Black tied it all together was very well done. The narrator I was listening to was one I have only marginally enjoyed (she narrated the Culinary Mystery books), but I thought she did a great job with this book. While I do enjoy amateur sleuth books to an extent, sometimes I get a little annoyed at how somehow the amateurs often make the police look dumb. I loved the fact that this one wasn't an amateur sleuth; that Natalie was willing to call the police when necessary; that the police weren't always one step behind; and I'm really glad at who the killer WASN'T. I thought the end was great -- when I had a couple of hours left, I finally gave up doing what I was doing and pulled out a puzzle to do while I was listening. The biggest reason I didn't give it 5 stars was because I felt like it got bogged down with the Felicia story in the middle, although that was handled well at the end.

Overall, it was a fun book and I look forward to the next one in the series.

[Tess Peatross · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was super fun! The prose can be a little stilted at times but the twists and turns were crazy!

[Elyse Thorup · Rating 5 out of 5]

WHEW. I’m very very pleased with this book and can’t wait to read the others!!! Huge plot twist that I was not ready for despite usually being able to guess! Very well done and well concluded!!

[Amy S · Rating 1 out of 5]

Murder mystery where the murder doesn’t happen until a good third of the book has wandered past in a confusing parade of characters with little context.

There’s a lot of dialogue. It’s pretty much all dialogue really. The settings are almost nonexistent and the descriptions are barely sketched.

When the villain does finally reveal themselves with a cliche monologue, absolutely everything has to be explained because the story lacked coherent clues leading up to that point. It’s one thing to keep the reader guessing, it’s quite another to rewrite the whole story in the last chapter to try to force it all to make sense.

The ending was a bit of a leap past murder and mayhem into happy ending territory and didn’t flow well for me.
Probably won’t try this author again.

Violence. No sex. Mild language. A variety of family dramas, grief, mental illness, depression, bullying/manipulation, stalking, etc

[Elizabeth Reid · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lots of crazy people, many descriptions of food, weird humor. A decent plot.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! Natalie Marsh is a psychologist whose personal and professional life are about to intertwine and nothing will be the same. She gets a new client who definitely needs her help, her best friend confides something in her but she doesn't think it's anything serious, and a woman she's loved since childhood is on the verge of a breakdown and starts making some crazy accusations.

Natalie has had it pretty tough in life. Her mother disowned her, leaving a substantial amount of money to her sister. Natalie isn't bitter about it but doesn't like it when her sister flaunts her wealth to her. Natalie is down-to-earth and easy to like. She starts to question things that happened in the past, which makes someone nervous. We were just as in the dark about that person's identity as Natalie was so I wasn't sure who she could trust at times.

There are lots of moving parts to this book and I loved how it all came together in the end! There is some light romance as well. If you enjoy a good, clean suspenseful mystery with plenty of characters to be suspicious of, this is the book for you!

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, which did not affect my review in any way

Mel's Shelves

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first Stephanie Black book that I've read so I wasn't entirely sure what to expect. The depth and variety of characters and the intricacy of the story line made for an engrossing read. Various characters all had their own issues and struggles such as Camille with a supposed stalker, Lacey who is fascinated by Camille, but has turned into a stalker. Natalie who is struggling to deal with being left out of her mother's will, and discovers that things aren't entirely the way they should be. Felicity who believes her husband was murdered by Camille (who she doesn't know) and her stepson, Gideon, who is seriously worried about her and these strange ideas she's developed in her grief. The tension continues to intensify when it turns out that danger is stalking a couple of the characters and from a rather unexpected source. The settings are great, from Natalie's office, to Camille's house, to the lake that Camille and Natalie like to visit. The twists and turns make the book very suspenseful, especially as it builds toward the conclusion. A great read for romantic suspense fans. There is some romance, but it definitely takes a back seat to the suspense.

[Crystal (Books Are Sanity!!!) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Black does an incredible job of setting the stage in this book. So many different characters and their lives intertwined in such a tangled web. As a reader I appreciated that I had to really think things through and I was still guessing as to who was the bad guy in all of this craziness! The more I read, the more I began wondering if everyone was just slightly crazy. Natalie and Gideon's stories kept me glued to the pages and they will keep you intrigued as well as you try to figure out whodunnit! I appreciated that the ending was not a dead giveaway and that Black makes the reader really work to put all of the pieces together. A most excellent murder mystery, Not a Word will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page! I received a copy for free, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Frogs4jb · Rating 3 out of 5]

did not see the ending coming.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Crazy, crazy, crazy. There isn’t just one over-the-top crazy lunatic in this book. There aren’t just two. There are three! It’s ridiculously melodramatic.

[Vicky · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series-opener gives us a good introduction to Natalie Marsh, the protagonist. She’s working through issues of her own while trying to get a mental health clinic off the ground. When one friend is murdered, and long-time family friend Felicia Radcliffe starts claiming her husband’s accidental death wasn’t so accidental, Natalie finds herself in danger. Add in Felicia’s very personable stepson, and things get even more interesting!

I enjoyed how multi-layered this story was. We frequently suspect people—with good reason—only to be diverted to someone else. There are multiple things going on at once. And some of the betrayals come from a place we really, really don’t expect. These threads come together neatly at the end, and the resolution is satisfying.

All of the characters here are well-drawn. Their motivations may not be fully rational, but their actions clearly come from those motivations.

I want to give a special nod to the eccentric, kind-hearted millionaire, Bob Chapman. It’s not a spoiler to say that he is a recurring character throughout this series, and his scenes are always a highlight. I also really enjoy the police detectives, Bartholomew and Turner, who also make frequent appearances.

Possible Objectionable Material:
Murders. Danger, Betrayal. Lying. A difficult marriage dynamic. A little gaslighting. Mental illness. Natalie’s somewhat abusive mother is mentioned frequently. There is no swearing and the violence is not graphic. Some people drink alcohol, but I don’t recall anyone being actually drunk. Drug use. Complicated personal relationships. Manipulation.

Who Might Like This Book:
People who like suspense stories. Those who like complicated family dynamics and other relationships. People who like allusions to Shakespeare stories. There is bit of romance here, but it is definitely not the focus of the story.


This book also reviewed at https://biblioquacious.blogspot.com/2...

[Karla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Natalie Marsh had a terrible family, but some really amazing friends. Tragedy keeps coming to them, though, and she finds she's not as able to help them as she hopes. It gets worse when her best friend is murdered, and one of her patients is connected.

I felt like this book kept you going. I did listen to this book a little more quickly than I typically might, just to help move it along (it's a fairly long novel). I did think the connections between people and the layers of mystery were well done. I was surprised that Natalie was such a trusting person, by nature. Particularly after the first couple of times she had occasion to think that maybe she should filter what she shares. She seems to be the kind of person who genuinely thinks other people are generally good.

I didn't realize this book was the start of a series until I looked up the author to find out what else she's written. The book ends in such a way that you can stop with just one book, if, like me, you're not into long-term relationships with book series. If, on the other hand, you love to know more about characters you have grown to like and you'd like to see more of them, that's an option, too.

True confession here, I'll probably read more. But perhaps not right away.

[Sharon the Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't do thrillers, cozy mysteries is about my limit. HOWEVER, this came recommended from a trusted source so I gave it a go. Holy cow, and I glad I did.

Having a son that is a psychologist, I loved the vibe from Natalie; her trust, patience, and ability to stay calm and not judge is great. The mystery is strong, the suspects are many, and the surprises are plentiful. The introduction to characters leaves you feeling connected; the detectives and police officers, a future romantic interest (you're not quite sure....), co-workers, townspeople, friends, etc. EVERYONE became a suspect at some point in my mind- I was that involved.

I had a few other books scheduled to read after this, but of course, I HAD to find out more and read number 2 immediately.

The story is clean, with a very light romance, full of suspense and intrigue and you won't be able to stop until you KNOW whodunnit.

[Lu · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book grabbed my attention from the first page and the angst and suspense didn't let up throughout the story. Stephanie knows how to create the tension and arouse suspicion on almost every single character. II’m impressed with how she writes a mystery so detailed and interwoven. And, she does it without using foul language.

I liked the main character, Natalie Marsh, because she was so well balanced. Natalie isn't all super woman nor quivering maiden in distress; she is strong and confident at times, but also shows normal human weakness and is vulnerable. The reader is able to relate to her and how she handles most things. She has had a hard life, but still manages to be well rounded and likable.

Some of the other characters are strange or weird but they were fun to read about and add to the story.

I can’t wait to read book two in the series.

[JS · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed it, a fun suspense read. Didn't love the narrator (okay, really didn't like the narrator), so that may have decreased my enjoyment. But still, an enjoyable suspense. One thing really really bugged me about how things worked out, but that's a major spoiler, so... close your eyes now if you don't want to know.










I was very bothered by how things worked out with the controlling husband. Regardless of how clueless he was about his wife's needs, he was emotionally abusive and massively gaslighting her. That kind of thing isn't just a "oh, I didn't realise you didn't like that" behaviour. So I felt icky about how that relationship just easily got better.




Rating: PG because there's a fair amount of murder and violence, but nothing graphic, no swearing or sex, etc.

[Carolina Colleene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Language: G (0 swears, 0 "f"); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13
My first Natalie Marsh book was the third one, and it was so fun that I had to add the whole series to my list. I like that I could enjoy the later books without having read this one, but I also enjoyed seeing how it all gets started. This book seemed a little more convoluted than the others I've read, possibly due to Black introducing the characters more while still building a murder mystery. It was fun, but not the best one I've read. Keep reading -- they get better!
The mature content is for illegal activity, including stalking and drug use. The violence rating is for threat of weapon use, brief descriptions of physical and mental abuse, mentions of suicide, and murder.

[Alysha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stephanie was really good at changing the tone and pattern of the writing with each POV change which made it easy to separate them. I really enjoyed the multi layering of the story, the mystery surrounding the multiple deaths, and the multiple red herrings kept me guessing.

Natalie is someone who is a consummate professional who is still a little raw regarding her childhood and past family life. She is also very dedicated to helping all those she can whether they are patients or not. I really hope that in the next book in the series we get to explore more of the relationship between her and Gideon as they seem very similar, and Gideon is already in protective mode around her.

The book was a pretty quick read, it was very engaging and fast paced, which made it compelling to read. I’m excited to read the other books in the series and find out more about Natalie.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciate a good mystery I can't predict. There were great characters and layers. However, the big twist was a little cheap in my opinion, a person barely mentioned with few clues to connect them until they are revealed as the mastermind, but overall not bad. And the book seemed a little long, like the author was inexperienced and so it got a little unnecessarily complicated. But again I enjoyed it. I'm definitely going to read the rest of the series. And I loved that an exciting adult crime-drama can be PG!