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Chrissy Livingstone #3
The Silent Ones
An abandoned child. A missing couple. A village full of secrets.
When a couple holidaying in the small Irish village of Doolan disappear one night, leaving their child behind, Chrissy Livingstone has no choice but to involve herself in the mystery surrounding their disappearance.
As the toddler is taken into care, it soon becomes apparent that in the close-knit village the couple are not the only ones with secrets to keep.
With the help of her sister, Julie, Chrissy races to uncover what is really happening. Could discovering the truth put more lives at risk?
A suspenseful story that will keep you guessing until the end.
The Silent Ones is the third brilliant and captivating novel featuring private investigator Chrissy Livingstone by master storyteller Linda Coles. “Move over Agatha Christie, there’s a new dame in town.” Amazon reviewer.
When a couple holidaying in the small Irish village of Doolan disappear one night, leaving their child behind, Chrissy Livingstone has no choice but to involve herself in the mystery surrounding their disappearance.
As the toddler is taken into care, it soon becomes apparent that in the close-knit village the couple are not the only ones with secrets to keep.
With the help of her sister, Julie, Chrissy races to uncover what is really happening. Could discovering the truth put more lives at risk?
A suspenseful story that will keep you guessing until the end.
The Silent Ones is the third brilliant and captivating novel featuring private investigator Chrissy Livingstone by master storyteller Linda Coles. “Move over Agatha Christie, there’s a new dame in town.” Amazon reviewer.
386 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 28, 2020
469 people are currently reading
361 people want to read
About the author
Linda Coles
34 books65 followersHi, I'm Linda Coles and I write British crime novels. #GreatBritishCrime. #BritishCrimeDrama
An English woman myself, I now reside in New Zealand with my husband, 1 cat and 6 wonderful goats. Google Earth and two UK based editors ensure I keep my stories and language, accurate. I’m the author of 17 books including four non-fiction and two of a very different genre published under a pen name.
I currently have three different series published:
Detectives Jack Rutherford and Amanda Lacey set in Croydon, south London.
Private investigator Chrissy Livingstone set in the upmarket areas of Surrey.
Amateur sleuth, mini-cab driver and part-time grave digger Will Peters, set in the Midlands.
There’s something for everyone!
A #1 Amazon bestselling author, I’ve been writing since 2011
A full-time writer, I also write newsletter content for accountants across the country, something to ‘cleanse my palette on’ and the polar opposite of dead bodies on the other side of the world. My claims to fame include having a cuddle with Lee Child, sharing a New York cab with Heather Graham, and interviewing Karen Slaughter as a podcast guest.
My latest book and series, Where There’s a Will is the first in a trilogy and sees Will Peters insert himself into the investigation of a young homeless man found dead in the woods. There’s a message written on his chest: Your Move. With the help of some of his elderly mini-cab customers, the unlikely group endeavor to solve the case, any way they can. With a serious message, it’s often amusing. Think Man on the Street and Thursday Murder Club rolled into one. I know you’ll enjoy it.
You can find out more of my work at lindacoles.com and all the usual social channels.
Drop me a line and say hello.
An English woman myself, I now reside in New Zealand with my husband, 1 cat and 6 wonderful goats. Google Earth and two UK based editors ensure I keep my stories and language, accurate. I’m the author of 17 books including four non-fiction and two of a very different genre published under a pen name.
I currently have three different series published:
Detectives Jack Rutherford and Amanda Lacey set in Croydon, south London.
Private investigator Chrissy Livingstone set in the upmarket areas of Surrey.
Amateur sleuth, mini-cab driver and part-time grave digger Will Peters, set in the Midlands.
There’s something for everyone!
A #1 Amazon bestselling author, I’ve been writing since 2011
A full-time writer, I also write newsletter content for accountants across the country, something to ‘cleanse my palette on’ and the polar opposite of dead bodies on the other side of the world. My claims to fame include having a cuddle with Lee Child, sharing a New York cab with Heather Graham, and interviewing Karen Slaughter as a podcast guest.
My latest book and series, Where There’s a Will is the first in a trilogy and sees Will Peters insert himself into the investigation of a young homeless man found dead in the woods. There’s a message written on his chest: Your Move. With the help of some of his elderly mini-cab customers, the unlikely group endeavor to solve the case, any way they can. With a serious message, it’s often amusing. Think Man on the Street and Thursday Murder Club rolled into one. I know you’ll enjoy it.
You can find out more of my work at lindacoles.com and all the usual social channels.
Drop me a line and say hello.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
August 21, 2021
Great concept
Painfully slow plot. Likable characters, but I just found the unfolding of the story too slowly paced to keep my attention.
Painfully slow plot. Likable characters, but I just found the unfolding of the story too slowly paced to keep my attention.
August 15, 2021
Very emotive and thought provoking
A much neglected subject which hopefully will make the reader aware that this really happens.
Credit to Linda Coles on highlighting this taboo issue
A much neglected subject which hopefully will make the reader aware that this really happens.
Credit to Linda Coles on highlighting this taboo issue
August 16, 2021
Loved this mystery
This author is new to me and I enjoyed her work. I fell in love with all the characters and their quirks, plus the mystery was intriguing as it unfolded. I also liked the setting.
This author is new to me and I enjoyed her work. I fell in love with all the characters and their quirks, plus the mystery was intriguing as it unfolded. I also liked the setting.
July 17, 2021
Chrissy, her husband Adam and her sister Julie along with Julie's husband Richard, are in Ireland for a much needed holiday. However, when Chrissy finds an abandoned baby she quickly changes into her private investigator mode, determined to find out why the baby was left. Julie joins her in the hunt for answers.
Answers will eventually arrive but not before someone involved is almost killed. When the answers do appear it will be like nothing anyone ever expected.
I enjoyed this story. Would like to read more in this series.
Answers will eventually arrive but not before someone involved is almost killed. When the answers do appear it will be like nothing anyone ever expected.
I enjoyed this story. Would like to read more in this series.
June 21, 2021
This was a great book. I highly recommend it. I will be starting on the beginning of the series now.
September 9, 2021
Slow start good ending
I enjoyed " The Silent Ones" kind of a slow start , until the questions start coming. Linda has you guessing , the ending is a surprise.
Some errors in writing which seem to get more frequent towards the last part of story. Needs to be proof read again.
I enjoyed " The Silent Ones" kind of a slow start , until the questions start coming. Linda has you guessing , the ending is a surprise.
Some errors in writing which seem to get more frequent towards the last part of story. Needs to be proof read again.
December 17, 2021
Boringly slow
Ok I only read 20 or so %, but it was so slow making it tough reading. Full of boring conversation. Only one interesting thing had happened by then, and as yet (20%) there is no tie in, it’s all very pedestrian.
Ok I only read 20 or so %, but it was so slow making it tough reading. Full of boring conversation. Only one interesting thing had happened by then, and as yet (20%) there is no tie in, it’s all very pedestrian.
August 16, 2021
DNF. Just no.
August 21, 2021
Confusing
An interfering female who rather than leave things a!one, as she was told, stuck her nose in and almost caused a tragedy
An interfering female who rather than leave things a!one, as she was told, stuck her nose in and almost caused a tragedy
October 11, 2021
Very slow moving, boring book. Story could have been told in half the pages.
April 27, 2025
I made it 60% of the way through this but I can’t take another minute. A complete waste of my favorite narrator, the stellar Aoife McMahon. It’s painfully slow, the small plot filled out with tedious conversations about nothing and endless repetition. When I began to grasp that the twist is that there’s a secret human trafficking ring to smuggle MEN out of abusive relationships I almost threw something. That’s ridiculous. You can’t just get in touch with some old biddy in a little Irish town and get a new identity for you and your baby, which you have kidnapped and is all over the news in any kind of real life scenario. Plus, the idea is very WON’T SOMEONE THINK OF THE MEN and I’m not buying it. Certainly men can be and are the victims of domestic violence but there’s absolutely no way a Robin Hood rescue ring like this is called for even if the mechanics of it were believable, which they aren’t.
Also I cannot move past this particularly weird scene: the PI finds the dog of the missing couple and checks his collar, where she finds a hidden key enabling her to search the house. Fine. But the text states he’s also wearing “a tag with his information on it”. Really? The PI never looks at said information which presumably would include, at minimum, a traceable phone number. Probably a last name! Things she doesn’t have and needs! Shit even if it only had their vet or village information on a rabies tag or whatever it would be a clue. But no! Why did the author do this? All you had to do is say “the collar held no tags but had a hidden key thingy”. I could NOT stop thinking about it. Between this and the weird dialog and the occasional error I don’t think this was edited.
Anyway that’s the last time I choose an audiobook based on the narrator…sorry Aoife but not even you could make this bearable.
Also I cannot move past this particularly weird scene: the PI finds the dog of the missing couple and checks his collar, where she finds a hidden key enabling her to search the house. Fine. But the text states he’s also wearing “a tag with his information on it”. Really? The PI never looks at said information which presumably would include, at minimum, a traceable phone number. Probably a last name! Things she doesn’t have and needs! Shit even if it only had their vet or village information on a rabies tag or whatever it would be a clue. But no! Why did the author do this? All you had to do is say “the collar held no tags but had a hidden key thingy”. I could NOT stop thinking about it. Between this and the weird dialog and the occasional error I don’t think this was edited.
Anyway that’s the last time I choose an audiobook based on the narrator…sorry Aoife but not even you could make this bearable.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 20, 2022
This was very good. It's definitely a 4+ but I save 5's for books everyone should read. I enjoyed book 2, and enjoyed this one, book 3. I have not read #1 and probably will not. I do not understand why this series is not available at either of the libraries I have access to. As it is impossible to borrow and I am trying to thin out my massive library and not buy any more books, e-books, or audio books, I have no access to book 1. I love the characters. The are realistic and interesting people to meet. I would have loved to see more of Ireland, but the plot kept me riveted. What in the world was going on. I never would have guessed. It's a very good message, one we don't hear enough about.
August 9, 2022
What struck me about each of the first three books in the Chrissy Livingston series was how unique each story was. Each story came from a different angle than at least 80% of female detectives and it was truly refreshing. This is one private investigator who does not get herself into situations requiring amazing (and impossible) fight scenes or perilous escapes with her life - she gets to the bottom of the mystery by footwork and brains. And I so appreciate that each story has an epilogue for what happens after all the sleuthing is over. Too many mysteries end when the mystery is solved and does not provide closure for the characters in the book. Highly highly recommended!
October 9, 2020
I love Linda Coles books and returning to the series with Chrissy feels like coming back to an old friend. This time she’s meant to be enjoying a quiet holiday in Ireland with Adam, Julie and Richard but when a couple go missing leaving their baby behind she can’t help but get involved even if it puts her life in danger. I loved this story and couldn’t put it down and was not expecting it to turn out to be the ending it was. This does not disappoint and keeps you on the edge of your seat. I loved it.
October 7, 2021
the silent ones
A great read Matthew and blue being help to escape a terrible relationship,
Chrissy husband Adam and her sister Julie with husband Richard on holiday.
They met a couple who were at the castle up the road but then things changed and the baby blue was alone in the castle where Chrissy found him her being a private investigator started to work things out as to what had happened lots of gripping and page turning to find out what was going on really enjoyed the reading
A great read Matthew and blue being help to escape a terrible relationship,
Chrissy husband Adam and her sister Julie with husband Richard on holiday.
They met a couple who were at the castle up the road but then things changed and the baby blue was alone in the castle where Chrissy found him her being a private investigator started to work things out as to what had happened lots of gripping and page turning to find out what was going on really enjoyed the reading
August 24, 2021
A different perspective
Minus a spoiler, it’s hard to define the plot here other than to say that people smuggling takes many forms. Chrissy is a good PI, not one to let a mystery go unsolved. On vacation with sister and husbands, she comes up against strange circumstances and gets drawn in. I really like this book, particularly because the main characters walk right out of the pages and into my room. I didn’t expect what was coming. I definitely recommend The Silent Ones.
Minus a spoiler, it’s hard to define the plot here other than to say that people smuggling takes many forms. Chrissy is a good PI, not one to let a mystery go unsolved. On vacation with sister and husbands, she comes up against strange circumstances and gets drawn in. I really like this book, particularly because the main characters walk right out of the pages and into my room. I didn’t expect what was coming. I definitely recommend The Silent Ones.
November 1, 2020
This is the 3rd book in the series and they just keep getting more exciting. It was a bit lengthy for me though. The plot is very well written and entertaining. Chrissy Livingstone is a well developed, likable, strong character. I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving this review
November 6, 2020
The third in the Chrissy Livingstone series and the best so far, the story is well developed and without giving the storyline away the twist was very unexpected and gave the mystery an interesting and satisfying perspective. My one complaint was that the ending in the garage was too convenient, however it didn't detract from my enjoyment.
August 13, 2021
The story is about two sisters and their husbands on a vacation where they encounter another couple when they went to dinner and they were ask if they can shear their table. They story is rather slow and a bit dragging until the child is found by himself crying and the parents missing that is when the story picks up. All in all not a bad plot
May 13, 2025
An enjoyable book, particularly liked the description of the coastal town in Ireland, and the cosy pub down the road. The mystery of the couple at the castle kept me guessing & wanting to read more, I didn't predict where the story was heading & it held my interest long enough to want to finish the book!
March 18, 2021
Intriguing premise, excellent narration, and a terrific of the cast. Author’s list of hits is growing. Her novels are rather long but always a good reading experience. No gore, profanity, or other impediments to reader enjoyment. (Narrator is Aiofe McMahon).
August 10, 2021
An easy read but took ages to really get started. It was almost the mid-point of the book when things became interesting. It mostly held my interest from the mid-point onwards but the final reveal didn't ring true.
August 16, 2021
An interesting mix of local Irish charm and and a complex case of who and what is going on
An interesting mix of local Irish charm and and a complex case of who and what is going on. A small child, missing parents, a not “deserted” castle and the mystery is in process
An interesting mix of local Irish charm and and a complex case of who and what is going on. A small child, missing parents, a not “deserted” castle and the mystery is in process
August 16, 2021
Good easy read.
I do not usually read this light of mystery books but needed a break from the more involved ones I usually read. Good book for a break and some lighter Irish adventure.
I do not usually read this light of mystery books but needed a break from the more involved ones I usually read. Good book for a break and some lighter Irish adventure.
August 20, 2021
The Silent Ones
Good story from start to finish !!!! It's always nice when a story ends up with a positive ending. Realistic story in the world today. Abuse has been around forever.
Good story from start to finish !!!! It's always nice when a story ends up with a positive ending. Realistic story in the world today. Abuse has been around forever.
August 22, 2021
Easy read, light and enjoyable!
Read it in a few sittings, hard to put down, a real mystery of keeping you wondering what’s happening, an interesting twist, never would have anticipated the plot, great writing!
Read it in a few sittings, hard to put down, a real mystery of keeping you wondering what’s happening, an interesting twist, never would have anticipated the plot, great writing!
August 24, 2021
quick read — relatively interesting plot — a few weird turns here and there and some tangential story lines that might be relevant to the larger series but didn’t make much sense if you are reading this as a stand alone novel. Ok but nothing special
August 24, 2021
Good easy read.
Very enjoyable book to read, and I liked all the characters . Well written with believable dialogue unlike some books I've bought.
I read lot so I had it worked out before the end.
Still enjoyed it though.
Very enjoyable book to read, and I liked all the characters . Well written with believable dialogue unlike some books I've bought.
I read lot so I had it worked out before the end.
Still enjoyed it though.
September 2, 2021
This book "The Silent Ones" by Linda Coles started off creating a great deal of interest for both my wife & I. Alas, it did not last beyond the Prolog and several chapters. Simply put, if you have the time and nothing on your list to read (like I had & was reading at the same time) it has an interesting plot but the author could not create and build excitement, tension or drama. It turned into what I imagine a Miss Marple mystery would be like. Picked it for the wife who raved about the beginning so I joined her. Sorry, I do not like to not recommend a book, but cannot do so here for demanding, serious readers.
November 20, 2021
Very much The Famous Five Visit Southern Ireland (sic). Poorly researched (Cork is on the south-east coast of Ireland; the police are Guard officers), a daft premise. A pity because the characters are interesting and the writing, though a bit Blytonish, wasn’t bad.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews