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Little Voices

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The voice in her head says he’s guilty. She knows he’s innocent.

Devon Burges is in the throes of a high-risk birth when she learns of her dear friend’s murder. The police quickly name another friend as the chief suspect, but Devon doesn’t buy it—and despite her difficult recovery, she decides to investigate.

Haunted by postpartum problems that manifest as a cruel voice in her head, Devon is barely getting by. Yet her instincts are still sharp, and she’s bent on proving her friend’s innocence.

But as Devon digs into the evidence, the voice in her head grows more insistent, the danger more intense. Each layer is darker, more disturbing, and she’s not sure she—or her baby—can survive what lies at the truth.

335 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 2019

7298 people are currently reading
9005 people want to read

About the author

Vanessa Lillie

7 books765 followers
Vanessa Lillie is the USA Today bestselling author of Blood Sisters, a new series centered on the stories of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, which was a Target Book Club pick and GMA Book Club Buzz Pick, as well as a best mystery of the year from the Washington Post, Amazon Editor’s and Reader’s Digest. The sequel, The Bone Thief, will be out October 28, 2025.

Her other thrillers are Little Voices, For the Best and she’s the creator and coauthor of the # 1 Audible Charts bestseller and International Thriller Writers award nominated,Young Rich Widows, set in Providence, RI where she lives, with the Audible Original sequel Desperate Deadly Widows and print edition recently released.

Originally from Miami, Oklahoma, she is a proud citizen of the Cherokee Nation. Vanessa wrote a weekly column for the Providence Journal about her experiences during the first year of the pandemic. She hosts an Instagram Live show, ‘Twas the Night Before Book Launch, where she chats with authors the night before their book is out in the world.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 729 reviews
Profile Image for Bridgett.
Author 41 books613 followers
July 6, 2020
'There are moments when I feel like I’m dying a little more every day. I feel like a fish that’s been caught and then abandoned on a dock, lying there, flopping and gasping, each gasp weaker than the last.'

This story made me feel like I was dying too. I've read 112 books in 2019, and this one might very well be the worst of the bunch. Having said that, I am so far into the minority on this one, I may as well wave my white flag now. For those of you who enjoyed this novel, please forgive me, and feel free to ignore my upcoming scathing review.

I am truly, honestly, genuinely bewildered by the bright and shining reviews for this novel. It's...well, it's AWFUL.

1. Once again...we have an unreliable narrator. Blah, blah, blah. However, with this one, Devony, it's made quite clear, very early on that she's suffering a severe form of some unnamed mental illness. She hears voices. A lot. And lucky us...we get to hear them with her. Like every couple paragraphs. Over and over and over again, on every single page, throughout the entire book. I eventually just started skipping over the "voice" sections, as they were nothing but space filler...wash, rinse, repeat. It was one of the most annoying writing techniques I've ever encountered.

2. I hope you find the act of pumping breast milk fascinating, because you get to read about it every third page. Woohoo! It's a party up in here! (As a side note, I'm a huge advocate for 'breast is best,' and have a deep respect for women who pump. It's an incredibly difficult job. I should know, I did it for 18 months. At first, I was thrilled it was mentioned in this novel...it's not something you see written about, well, ever. But then it started becoming repetitive and weird. By the end of the book, I was like, "Enough already!")

3. Without giving anything away, this felt like two separate stories. It was a weird, disjointed, post-partum murder mystery. And yes...it was as bad as that sounds. How it was classified as a psychological thriller, I can't say. It read more as women's fiction with a side of murder thrown in for some spice. And Devony, who could barely function at the beginning of the novel...suddenly decided, a day later, she was going to solve her friend's murder, three months after it occurred. In my best Jim Carrey voice, "Well, alllll-righty, then!" She went from helpless to Wonder Woman in 2.6 seconds.

4. The writing was terrible...nothing ever really came together for me. The character development was non-existent. I never did get any sense of Devony's relationship with her husband or friends. There were plot holes galore. Even the red herrings were lacking.

5. Oh, and the big "twist" ending? Apparently people found it shocking. I did not. It was obvious to me from the very first chapter. Maybe that's why I couldn't stand this novel? By the end, it was taking everything in me to finish. I kept looking at my husband and sighing loudly. Honestly, I was fed up. Vanessa Lillie clearly had a point she was trying to make with the baby story line, so why not just stick to that thread and not add in some zany Scooby Doo crime to solve? It was bizarre.

I don't know, fellow readers...maybe I'm being a hard-ass here, but I can only tell you what I thought as I was reading. I've always prided myself on being as honest as I can possibly be in my reviews, and sometimes, unfortunately, that means tearing a book apart. If I could think of a single thing to praise about Little Voices, I would.

It was just so incredibly clunky.

Read at your own risk.

Hey, at least one of my Kindle First choices was decent. I can recommend Drowning with Others. At least I didn't feel like heaving my Kindle across the room upon it's completion.
Profile Image for ReadAlongWithSue recovering from a stroke★⋆. ࿐࿔.
2,884 reviews431 followers
September 8, 2019
This IS a debut yeah?
Crickey it’s just so dam well written that you wouldn’t know.

You get a lot more from this read than you will ever bargain for, a lot more and then some.

The main character being Devon. A very well developed character and well rounded that you can’t help but be pulled into her life.

It’s a political thriller come mystery. I got drawn into all what was happening, the money laundering, the death of her best friend, and got used to the italics surrounding Devon, the little voices, the negative voices. The author had me fooled until quite later.

Don’t be mistaken, definitely don’t be mislead as this story impacts a lot on family and family secrets too. Corruption and lies.

Dark secrets from Devon’s past emerge slowly shockingly taking me to a whole new level.



And I got to learn more about postpartum depression too. I had heard of it, but not it’s impact so much.

Mystery/legal thrillers, this may be what some will think it’s about, but, I can’t express more than to say there’s a heap loads of “stuff” just grabbing you into this story. I lost myself between the pages many a time as the clock was ticking towards my bedtime but I was reluctant to put the story down.

Not once did it lag, not once was this a chore to pick up, I was eager for the next chapter, then the next.

If I hadn’t had known this was a debut novel I’d easily be seeking out what else she had written, so, I’m really eager to see what the author comes up with next.

I’m so glad Ludwig and I are connected as book lovers on social media. He was reading this and I just had to get my hands on a Copy.

I’ll remember this one for some time to come.

Highly recommend this to those who love thrillers, mystery, legal thrillers and family drama thrown in and definitely in tune with factual things.

This is a new author you need to consider.
Profile Image for Sarah.
1,617 reviews178 followers
September 4, 2019
For my full review, visit me at https://mrsbrownsbooks.wordpress.com/...

This was a “sandwich” read for me. A provocative opening, a powerful closing, but the bits in between? They just didn’t appeal to my reading tastebuds. I feel a bit guilty, especially as I enjoyed the ending so much. But, I was so underwhelmed for the rest of the plot, that I can’t give this a higher rating than three stars.

For my full review, visit me at https://mrsbrownsbooks.wordpress.com/...
Profile Image for Shannon Kirk.
Author 18 books439 followers
August 28, 2019
Me: I LOVE, I mean I'm obsessed with, financial/white-collar crimes exposes like The Big Short (really anything by Michael Lewis), Billion Dollar Whale, Bad Blood, etc. Like I EAT the words like a glutton. AND I also LOVE LOVE LOVE psychological thrillers with a bad-ass, SMART female lead. AND, I also like a book with education and meaning and an important message. Oh oh oh, and I really LOVE books that give me huge doses of atmosphere, especially the New England atmosphere. I wish I had all that in one book, but that's impossible, right?

Vanessa Lillie: Not impossible, here.

OMG. This book. Look, it's a page-turner, it's a twisty thriller with an awesome, strong, whip-smart female lead--who, by the way, is not all perfect nor even all-together SUPER strong, she's human. But like, a really awesome, strong and real human. She just has some flaws. And it's got a twist, all that. All the makings of a fabulous psychological thriller.

But it is way more than just that.

I really love books that show strong women with professional skills, professional language, professional thoughts. Imagine Leslie Knope in a serious murder investigation, with all her binders and charts and tabs. Twist Knope's comedy to something more akin to biting wit, satirical and wise, and you have Devon. Don't get me wrong, Little Voices is not a comedy in the least. It's just that Devon does pepper her narrative with some satirical observations that made me find her intellectual and strong--she could take herself out of a situation and observe herself or situations and comment on it in a satisfying, meta way. I like that. She talks of variables and financial and political maneuverings with ease, making her an intelligent and interesting lead to follow through a murder investigation. Oh and heap on the fact she's carrying around a prematurely born child, and she's got postpartum.

And this is the piece I think Lillie handles so well, and frankly, I'm appreciative of what she did here. If you haven't lived through incredibly tumultuous post-birth emotions, postpartum, even depression at any stage, birth or no, I hope you will recognize the genius with how Lillie made a woman's thoughts during these times so very real, palatable to read (which to be honest, I was fearing, as who wants to live in such terror), understandable, and...given they way she wrote it, way less terrifying. Actually, she made it understandable and, for me, logical. There's one line that really stands out: "That's the problem with logic. It doesn't stand a chance against terror." This is something that resounds with me a great deal. It is something I fight in my own real life, and also in all of my own writing. It is such a true statement, and so, consciously recognizing it, I keep bolstering logic, fortifying logic, so as to fight terror, to flip it so that terror doesn't have a chance against logic.

And this is exactly what Lillie does here!! Devon can "recognize the thread of crazy" and she therefore acknowledges it, faces it, somewhat allows it, and therefore makes it controllable. She uses her logic throughout the book, her intelligence, her skills in organization and research, and she fights back the terror. And she solves a murder.

Also she gives atmosphere! Lillie captures the sights, the feel, the look of trees, the landscape, everything about Rhode Island. She doesn't hold back in setting scene and weaving in the "senses" through well-written prose in a scene. Exceptional.

Nothing not to love about this awesome, intriguing, exceptionally well-crafted, politico-financial murder thriller, that is not only a page-turner, but a model of how a woman can go through physical and mental wood-chippers, time and time again, and still be the strongest person in the room. Read it.
Profile Image for Erin (from Long Island, NY).
581 reviews207 followers
January 25, 2020
This was a good story & I actually really liked the main character (& narrator), Devon. It was just really far fetched. Not fantastical or impossible, just highly improbable😂- think an EXTREME episode of Law & Order- where murdering psychopaths stop for tea with the most unusual “hero’s.” I still probably would’ve enjoyed it without much thought, except for that damn “inner” voice. I listened on audio & this CONSTANT inner voice was too much. I do get why the author did it, maybe if I read it instead of heard it, it could’ve worked.. It stinks because there were a few storylines going on at once & i really, really appreciate 1 of them. Maybe it was just too much for 1 book!
Profile Image for Kimberly Belle.
Author 19 books5,198 followers
September 11, 2019
It’s not easy to hit me with a twist I don’t see coming, but Vanessa Lillie did just that in her smashing debut, Little Voices—a murder mystery, political thriller, and psychological suspense wrapped into one sensational story. Lillie doesn’t shy away from big topics—postpartum depression and money laundering and child abuse—deftly weaving the layers into a twisty and surprising plot. A clever and addictive read from a bright new talent.
1 review1 follower
September 5, 2019
Awful!!!

This was the worst book I've read in a long time. I tried and tried to get through it, but the writing and story drove me crazy. The main character hears "voices" and they are a constant presence. They bring nothing to the story. I rolled my eyes with every passage until I finally quit reading them at all. I made it halfway through the book before I couldn't take anymore. I skipped to the end. So glad I didn't waste my time any longer. Wish i hadn't picked this book to get for free. I NEVER write reviews. But this book was so bad I wanted to warn others.
Profile Image for Susanne.
257 reviews12 followers
September 14, 2019
It's not a thriller just because someone dies
It's not a psychological thriller just because the main character hears voices.
The plot isn't gripping just because it's nonsensical and bizarre.
Two stars just because it's a debut and I actually managed to finish it.

This was one of my First Reads for September, and I really hope the second one will be better.
Profile Image for readbysledge (Brandi).
313 reviews3 followers
August 19, 2019
Holy Debut Book, Batman!!

I devoured this book over the course of a weekend, and I absolutely LOVED it! I'm a tough critic on thrillers/mysteries, but this one is SO good!

Here's what I really liked:
- Strong, likable female lead
- Relatable yet unreliable narrator
- Excellent character development
- Fun whodunnit mystery
- Political drama/controversy
- Unforeseen extra twist
- Tidy ending
- Believable story while staying grounded in the real world

Devony is our lead in this book, and I found her so relatable (even with hearing voices- not sure what that means about me). As a new mother, we all have that negative voice telling us that we're not good enough. Devon has this too, but is it more than that? At first, I found her to be a tad too emotional, then I remembered that she's newly postpartum, and I forgave her. Don't worry though, soon she starts to show who she really is as she becomes obsessed with uncovering who murdered her friend. She's clever, resourceful, persistent, and mayyybe a little morally ambiguous (precisely how I like my leading ladies).

The twist got me. I re-read the pages because I couldn't believe my eyes. There was this moment where I went, "Come on. There's no way that works." Just when I was frustrated, the author explains it all away to a point that something very irrational makes perfect rational sense. She tied the ending up in a nice little bow and even managed to shed light on an important issue ongoing in our culture. I loved the book and the message that was surprisingly hidden within a thriller. I was blown away. Can't wait for her next book!!
Profile Image for Marissa Christenson Lang.
153 reviews5 followers
September 3, 2019
Extremely well-written. Might be triggering for those dealing with high-risk pregnancy, pre-term births, and/or pregnancy loss.
Profile Image for Julia.
90 reviews18 followers
June 2, 2019
4.5 stars!

I had just been complaining about mysteries/thrillers ending too abruptly with too many unanswered questions and then I read Little Voices by Vanessa Lillie. WOW!

A stunning debut, where murder mystery meets political thriller. Devon Burges may be one of the most well-developed characters in a book I’ve read in awhile. As the chapters progressed we learned more about what makes Devon the way she is and we learn more about the voice inside her head. Is this her own internal monologue or something much bigger?

I was continually surprised as I flipped each page and every time I thought I had something figured out, I was surprised again.

I’ve noted this before but I really do love how reading educates me on topics I may not of learned about until later. Little Voices highlights postpartum depression, which I found to be so important because as a society we don’t talk about it much or the other horrors of pregnancy, child birth, etc.

If this wasn’t a debut, I would be searching Goodreads for other books by Vanessa Lillie! Run, don’t walk, to an indie bookstore in October to pick up Little Voices!

Thank you to the author & NetGalley for an eARC.
Profile Image for Debbie "Buried in Her TBR Pile".
1,902 reviews297 followers
September 24, 2019
3.5 stars

I liked this one - what I thought was a typical mystery, police procedural crime novel turned out to be different. Devon Burges goes into labor 2 months early. She is married to Jack - who works in the mayor's office. She takes on a case involving a friend from college while dealing with a newborn, PTSD (childhood sexual abuse), and postpartum depression. I really thought I had most of this one figured out, but the ending surprised me - I went into this one blind and I'm glad I did.
Profile Image for Charlee.
358 reviews21 followers
September 17, 2019
This was one of my Amazon First Read picks for the month of September.

I used to tell myself that it doesn't matter if I didn't like a book. I had to finish it. Some people even go so far as to pride themselves on that. Then one day, I realized how ridiculous that is. I have an entire to-read list waiting for me. Why would you waste time on something you don't like? There are too many good books out there ready to be read. Why do I say this? Because I have opted not to spend one more minute on this one.

It was a good start that quickly spiraled for me. I learned pretty quickly that this wasn't a psychological thriller like I thought. Just because you have a character try to solve a murder doesn't make it one. This was more of a family drama. Not a bad thing to be. I like a good family drama once in awhile. This just wasn't it. Most of the characters were one dimensional and the ones that weren't....well, they weren't very interesting. I could put all that aside though and try to find a way to engage in the story but for one thing. The voices. Clearly Devon, our protagonist, is suffering from post-partum depression. As a mother, I should be able to sympathize. The problem was that these voices constantly interrupted the flow of the story, making it disjointed and frustrating. It got to the point where I just watched for the italic font and skipped over it entirely. I tried to feel for her but she was difficult. The things she did made no sense. She constantly criticized herself as a mother then immersed herself into a murder investigation. Dare I say, there were times when the voices might have been right.

Anyway, I finally conceded that this book was NOT for me, skipped to the end (hey, I gotta know who did it at least) and put the book away. I'd like to say that the ending was satisfying, but it wasn't. I had already figured the who part out. The why? I didn't even care.
Profile Image for Chandra Claypool (WhereTheReaderGrows).
1,790 reviews367 followers
October 6, 2019
3.5 stars rounded up to 4 for goodreads.

Devon has life threatening issues during the birthing of her child which causes these voices she's been known to have in the past to rise, more powerful, this time. During this process, a close friend of her dies and another friend is prime suspect number one. She dives into her old instincts and skills to try and prove his innocence. This could break not only her mind but her relationship with her husband as well.

It was really interesting to read the inner thoughts that she has as she goes about her day. I wish the author had took a little time to discuss the hint she had given to Devon's prior issues with these voices that she heard. However, it does pay attention to PPD and that feeling of not being good enough. And really just the insecurities some people feel day to day when their anxiety and low self esteem sabotages everything in their path. I felt this was well done though at times these interjections seemed to get to be a bit much... but yet realistic in what would happen in this person's mind. A lot of people go through this on SOME level at some point in their life.

I love Devon's tenacity and courage ... even if she was blindly loyal and her expectations a bit too high at times. While the ending was a bit of a surprise, it didn't completely shock me either. I fear saying too much to spoil anything so I'll just leave it right there.

As a debut novel, I'm very impressed. I felt the writing was fluid, though I can see some readers being irritated with the repetitiveness of the inner monologue. The story line was intriguing and I had a hard time putting this one down.
Profile Image for MiMi.
536 reviews15 followers
January 28, 2022
So Good!

This was VERY well written so much so that you felt the gut wrenching twist in your heart. I felt for Devon in every way possible. Pregnancy is a miracle in and of itself. The complications, risks, and predisposed illnesses that can effect a mother and/or child during pregnancy, in the intrapartum period and especially the postpartum period is scary. Every pregnancy and birth is a blessing. Every birth story is individualized and that’s what makes it so special.

Being a maternal child health nurse specifically in labor and delivery this book hit home. We get to see the patient more often in the phases of active labor periods, very rarely in the postpartum period; I’m talking about once they are discharged home. This is where support is vital!

Devon had the support from her husband Jack 100% of the way but she terrified him when she decided to go back working with his manipulative Uncle Cal pro Bono. Devons friend Belina was viciously murdered and dumped like trash into the ocean. She would go through anything to get justice for her friend; even if it means taking her baby out in the freezing cold, or having the nanny watch her in the car while she’s out interviewing witnesses. Any. Means. Necessary.

LOVED the ending. Made me very happy.

TW: postpartum depression & psychosis.
Profile Image for Michelle.
566 reviews62 followers
September 30, 2019
Review can be found on my blog here: https://booksonthebookshelf.wordpress...

....

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review.

....

Devon is a new mom going through post-partum depression, that is causing her to hear voices in her head. Voices that tell her she is a bad mom. Despite the voices in her head she is determined to believe she is a good mom, all while helping uncover a murder mystery and prove her friend’s innocence. The police think her friend is guilty, but Devon doesn’t believe it.

I loved Devon’s character development in this novel. She was a likable character, and I felt so bad for her and all the negative voices in her head that she had to endure and battle. Imagine loving your young infant, and having voices tell you that you don’t. Despite this, she is a bad-ass lead character in this novel, and she is determined to find out the truth. Despite the fact that the main character was unreliable, her character was witty, charming, intelligent, and determined.

A great novel that was a joy to read. Make sure to check it out!
Profile Image for Nicole.
151 reviews4 followers
April 9, 2020
The little voices in my head were telling me to "abandon the ship!" (I hate that the ship / boat reference is actually fitting for this disaster of a book) almost immediately after I started what would become the harsh struggle to finish this one. Actually, the voices were more like amplified air horns screaming at me to press the pause button indefinitely on my Audible app, because, honestly, what did I do to deserve to have to suffer through 11 + hours of this nonsense? Do I really hate myself that much? Someone better call my therapist, because all signs point to that answer being a hard yes.

I could go on and on listing reasons why this book annoyed, bored, and frustrated me and almost was added to my DNF pile, but I am sure we all have better things to do with our time (I mean, I personally do not, but that is a whole other issue I should be addressing with the therapist that I am in great need of talking to, and not you fine people!). I will instead recap my overall sentiment towards this free (thank God for that) reading / listening experience in the form of a PSA:

Attention! This book is very confused and should be left off ALL reading shelves until it decides if it wants to be a serious narrative about the impact of post partum depression, a psychological "who-dun-it" murder mystery or an educational how-to instructing the everyday novice the basics of committing criminal activity involving boating and / or illegal fish trading. Right now, it is none of the above listed genres and is basically 11 hours worth of randomly strung together words and sentences. Take caution - this is not a drill!

.....And, if you didn't catch on to the "big twist" involving the baby in like, I don't know, chapter two, please let me know immediately. I will see if my soon-to-be therapist offers two for one deals because you, too, my friend should probably speak with someone.
Profile Image for Cari.
Author 21 books189 followers
March 14, 2020
As I have followed the #DebutAuthors19 hashtag on Twitter throughout this year, this was one of the books I have been most excited about getting my hands on. Vanessa Lillie is super-cool and was kind enough to send me a copy on NetGalley. This thriller brings some exciting new twists to the genre - most notably, that it deals with financial and legal conspiracies while also probing women's issues. I often see stereotypes in the genre, that women are dealing with domestic issues like family, relationships, etc. and the men are the ones handling the big stuff. Lillie's protagonist, Devon, handles the big stuff and more. After nearly dying during childbirth, Devon must push aside the voices in her head to raise her new baby while also investigating the death of her best friend, Belina. Belina was involved in some shady corners of Providence, Rhode Island, and while Devon doesn't need to look into the murder - she's not a cop or detective - she can't stop herself. Her legal and financial background gives her the tools to solve the case, and despite her husband's wish for her to stop, she persists. There is so much in this book - Devon has a dark past of her own, and there are some wild and breathtaking twists. I also loved that no one in this story is fully good or fully evil - it's impossible to tell who's guilty of the murder, because every one of them is guilty in some way.
Profile Image for Kelly.
1,118 reviews54 followers
September 21, 2019
This was yet another example in a long line of proof that you get what you pay for. This was free from Amazon First Reads and it’s a good thing it was free because it was really, really awful.

It started out really strong with an emergency C-section, then it fizzled out fast and it was nothing but breast feeding/ pumping, screaming infant, and italicized clumps of nasty, negative thoughts which Devon hears in her head. And she hears them constantly, and by constantly I mean on every page (or each Kindle screen, really, in my case). These thoughts were so annoying and so distracting, and even depressing, that at about 20% I started looking for the italics and just skipping them. Devon certainly needed therapy.

Devon was yet again a character I simply didn’t like. It is hard to believe after hearing all those voices for so long that Devon had any confidence left at all, but she actually had an incredibly over-inflated idea of her own importance to the mayor and the police in solving the murder case.

The whole story was just a miss for me and I couldn’t wait to finish. Such a relief to finally get to the end. It could have been 100 pages shorter without all the voices! And I gave it 2 stars because I didn’t see the ending coming at all.
Profile Image for jpbrokerreads.
125 reviews17 followers
October 22, 2019
So once again I would like to thank @vanessalillie @netgalley #thomasandmercerpublishers for allowing me access to this e-book.
📕📕📕
Little Voices is an excellent book. The book is about a women named Devony or Devon who after having a baby finds herself investigating a murder of her friend and the number one suspect is another friend. The book is really interesting in that the author goes into great detail about what being an expectant mother is like as well as becoming a new mother. I think a lot of parents or parents to be will highly relate to this book and can appreciate a lot of the experiences that Devony had with being a new mother. In addition, Devony is a great character and as the story is being told she keeps having self doubts about the person she but she continues fighting on. This book involves crime, love, sex, politics, justice which makes it enjoyable for all readers.
📕📕📕
Devon hits many stumbling blocks during her investigation of the various characters in the books and every time she thinks she has it figured out a new clue emerges that changes her direction. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and really think you will too. Go buy this book!
Profile Image for Sarah Bowe.
2,042 reviews
September 4, 2019
What an amazing debut!
Devon is dealing with a lot. A new baby and post-partum depression, a death of a friend- Belina with another friend-Alec accused of her murder and hearing voices. But she still has the know how from her life before motherhood and decides to investigate.
I liked trying to figure out the mystery of Belina's death, but more than that I enjoyed getting to know the real Devon and what's she's dealt with in her life. As we learn more about Devon and why she is hearing the voices, you really start to feel so bad for her.
I didn't expect the end to make me cry but it did. You find out something big that is just heartbreaking!
Profile Image for Kellye.
Author 8 books1,311 followers
September 1, 2019
Little Voices grabs you from the first chapter and doesn’t let go until one shocking final twist. Vanessa Lillie is an author to watch, taking us deep into the world —and mind—of former-prosecutor-turned-struggling-new-mom Devon Burgess as she battles old politics, new money, big fish, and, worst of all, that little voice in her head to help solve the murder of her close friend. Psychological suspense at its best.
Profile Image for Daniel Ford.
Author 2 books27 followers
June 22, 2019
From the first page, Little Voices shoots your heart into your throat and leaves it there. Vanessa Lillie’s genuineness and heartfelt literary sensibilities meld perfectly with her tortured, yet dogged, protagonist and serpentine whodunnit. A sensational debut that will make you welcome all those dark voices in your head.
Profile Image for Brianas_best_reads.
513 reviews27 followers
September 9, 2019
✨Review✨

A huge thank you to Vanessa Lillie and Little Bird Publicity for my ARC of “Little Voices” which releases on 10/1/19.

I absolutely loved this book. I really enjoy when a book can cause me to feel a wide range of emotions when I’m reading. “Little Voices” had me feeling happiness, sadness, fear, and so much shock. This book is quite a journey and I enjoyed every minute of it.

The book focuses around Devon Burges who is in the middle of a high risk birth when she learns that a friend has been murdered. Devon then works tirelessly to try and figure out who the killer is. I loved learning all about Devon; her life when she was younger and her life now. She is such an interesting character and from the first page I was hooked on her story. The other characters are just as interesting and unique and you will definitely want to learn more about them once you start reading.

Ultimately my favorite parts of this book were all of the twists and turns. So many times I thought I had figured out who the killer was and why they had done it, but I was happily confused each time I learned something new. The ending came as a complete shock to me and I think it will shock most readers. Simply put, I could not stop reading this book once I started. I know that it is going to be such a hit when it releases and I would definitely recommend it to all readers, but especially lovers of thrillers and mysteries.

5/5 ⭐️
Profile Image for Bridget.
2,789 reviews131 followers
November 14, 2019
I was curious to read this début novel - Little Voices - by new author, Vanessa Lillie as I liked the interesting premise and I love to read a good murder-mystery, psychological suspense thriller and political drama; here, I had all three in one fabulous story!

Devon Burges, a lawyer in a prestigious Rhode Island town, is in the throes of a difficult delivery when she learns that her close friend, Belina has been murdered. The police quickly name another friend as the main suspect, but Devon is not convinced—so despite her difficult recovery, she decides to investigate.

Later becoming something akin to a police procedural, several characters are introduced, motives are uncovered and I found myself right alongside Devon trying to figure out the identity of the culprit.

There are several clever twists and turns throughout the book and the reader is privy to snippets from Devon's past, both recent and in childhood. The plot flowed well with some satisfying twists and turns that helped to keep my interest. The author’s writing style was very appealing, brilliantly encapsulating the core of the scenes that I was visualising whilst reading. Vanessa Lillie’s special way with the prose made this complex and enthralling suspense story very unique to me.

Everything eventually comes together as the many threads in the story are neatly combined in a smooth, fulfilling and ultimately satisfying conclusion that was well worth the journey.

Overall, I’d say that Little Voices is a magnificent début. I will be looking out for more from Vanessa Lillie.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for my complimentary copy of Little Voices. My honest review is entirely voluntary.
Profile Image for Lynda Kelly.
2,205 reviews106 followers
September 5, 2019
This is a splendid debut and I really enjoyed it and only knocked it down a star as there were a few too many mistakes for me to give it my full complement. It was one of my Kindle First choices for this month. It offers a bit of everything-murderation, mystery, twists, humour and even tears a couple of times.
Devon is a terrific investigator and I liked her, though she was a bit bonkers at times ! I did get a bit cheesed off at how many times she was either pumping breast milk or crying !! That got a bit repetitive and made me roll my eyes when I happened upon another instance of either occurrence.
She did spell tic wrong twice as tick, market-ready needed a hyphen to make sense. At one point she wrote Phillip twice in a sentence and one time it needed to be replaced by him to read better. She dropped a comma here in a sentence where it did make a real difference. "My heels echo against the stairs as I descend a woman reborn." I looked up water tables on Google but it didn't help me so I'm none the wiser there and the same with bobble. Back luck was written one time and I think bad luck was actually meant there and boney should be bony. I HATE American English used like it is here, "I don't got much time".......it just makes me wince.
However, I did like the explanation of Saudade. My experience with this word is as a song-title by Chris Rea that he wrote in memory of the terrific Ayrton Senna, and it always makes me a bit sniffy. I've never seen it used in another context so that made a nice change.
Looking forward to her next offering.
Profile Image for Darinda.
9,137 reviews158 followers
September 26, 2019
During labor, Devon learns that one of her friends has been murder. The prime suspect is another of Devon's friends. Devon is having some postpartum problems, primarily hearing a cruel voice in her head. She tries to ignore the voice, while also looking to prove her friend's innocence and find the real killer. As she investigates, the persistent voice in her head continues and the danger of finding the killer grows.

Devon is a likable, though unreliable, narrator. She's hearing a little voice in her head, and it's a cruel voice that tries to wear her down and convince her she is not good enough. She is suffering with postpartum depression, so the discouraging voice is mostly believable.

A mystery thriller with murder, financial crimes, and women's issues. Devon is a smart woman dealing with a difficult time in her life. She is aware that all is not right in her personal life, but she stays professional and driven.

In the end, it was a little too unbelievable for me, but I found it to be an entertaining read. Good for readers that enjoy domestic suspense and legal/financial thrillers. Dark, dramatic, and twisty.

This was my Amazon First Reads pick for September 2019.
Profile Image for Randi (randi_reads).
1,532 reviews348 followers
October 4, 2019
You know it’s a great book when you just can’t stop thinking about it—or the ending. I had to go and re-read parts to make sure of what I was reading! This is part murder mystery and part political thriller and is quite the debut by Vanessa Lillie.
Devon is a woman driven to help her dead friend, Belina, and also help the man, Alec, (a college friend) who has been accused of killing her. Devon sets out to find the real killer. Along the way, she has her own new-mommy issues to deal with and facing her traumatic childhood.

Thank you to Vanessa Lillie and Little Bird Publicity for sending me a copy in exchange for my honest review.
Profile Image for Linda.
357 reviews
October 1, 2019
I'm surprised by all the love for this book. For me it was a real slog to get through. I found all the characters unlikable and, thus, didn't care who killed Belina. But based on the reviews, I'm in the minority so have at it.
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