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After the Silence
'Chillingly good' Elizabeth Day
'Her best book to date and that's really saying something' Marian Keyes
'A powerfully atmospheric, darkly compelling mystery' Lucy Foley
'A superior psychological thriller' Liz Nugent
Nessa Crowley's murderer has been protected by silence for ten years.
Until a team of documentary makers decide to find out the truth.
On the day of Henry and Keelin Kinsella's wild party at their big house a violent storm engulfed the island of Inisrun, cutting it off from the mainland. When morning broke Nessa Crowley's lifeless body lay in the garden, her last breath silenced by the music and the thunder.
The killer couldn't have escaped Inisrun, but no-one was charged with the murder. The mystery that surrounded the death of Nessa remained hidden. But the islanders knew who to blame for the crime that changed them forever.
Ten years later a documentary crew arrives, there to lift the lid off the Kinsella's carefully constructed lives, determined to find evidence that will prove Henry's guilt and Keelin's complicity in the murder of beautiful Nessa.
In this bold, brilliant, disturbing new novel Louise O'Neill shows that deadly secrets are devastating to those who hold them close.
'Her best book to date and that's really saying something' Marian Keyes
'A powerfully atmospheric, darkly compelling mystery' Lucy Foley
'A superior psychological thriller' Liz Nugent
Nessa Crowley's murderer has been protected by silence for ten years.
Until a team of documentary makers decide to find out the truth.
On the day of Henry and Keelin Kinsella's wild party at their big house a violent storm engulfed the island of Inisrun, cutting it off from the mainland. When morning broke Nessa Crowley's lifeless body lay in the garden, her last breath silenced by the music and the thunder.
The killer couldn't have escaped Inisrun, but no-one was charged with the murder. The mystery that surrounded the death of Nessa remained hidden. But the islanders knew who to blame for the crime that changed them forever.
Ten years later a documentary crew arrives, there to lift the lid off the Kinsella's carefully constructed lives, determined to find evidence that will prove Henry's guilt and Keelin's complicity in the murder of beautiful Nessa.
In this bold, brilliant, disturbing new novel Louise O'Neill shows that deadly secrets are devastating to those who hold them close.
439 pages, Paperback
First published September 3, 2020
359 people are currently reading
5287 people want to read
About the author
Louise O'Neill
19 books2,291 followersLouise O' Neill is from Clonakilty, in west Cork. After graduating with a BA in English Studies at Trinity College Dublin, she went on to complete a post-grad in Fashion Buying at DIT. Having spent a year in New York working for Kate Lanphear, the senior Style Director of ELLE magazine, she returned home to Ireland to write her first novel.
She went from hanging out on set with A-list celebrities to spending most of her days in pyjamas while she writes, and has never been happier.
She went from hanging out on set with A-list celebrities to spending most of her days in pyjamas while she writes, and has never been happier.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 514 reviews
August 5, 2020
Keelin and Henry Kinsella, their daughter Evie and Keelin’s son Alex seem to have it all. They’re rich, have a fabulous house on the island of Inisrun but it’s all an illusion. Ten years ago Nessa Crowley one of the ‘Crowley Girls’ died at Keelins birthday party which tears the small island community apart with the blame firmly fixed on Henry. Ten years on two Australian film makers are producing a documentary about it and Henry has high hopes this will put the past behind them. The story is told by Keelin and interspersed with interviews of the islands residents.
I really like the premise of the novel and the setting on the small Irish island is fantastic as it creates a great atmosphere. The night of Nessa’s murder is depicted well, it’s almost Bacchanalian with a wild storm adding to the mood of the evening. The resentment of the islanders towards the wealthy Kinsella family comes across loud and clear with plenty of tension, suspicion and mistrust. The portrayal of the characters is good, Henry is not at all likeable and Keelin is an interesting puzzle. There’s an explosive atmosphere between some of the characters too. The mystery of Nessa’s fate builds well to a stormy crescendo, with a storm of hate coming the Kinsella way and their friendless isolation is clear. I did guess part of the ending but this in no way spoils the outcome. I had expected this to be a murder mystery drama and it is but one of the main themes is domestic control and abuse which I hadn’t expected. However, this is done well and is an important topic and a valid part of the storyline.
My one issue with the book is that initially it does not flow very well with some backtracking and it’s hard to make sense of what’s going on. However, this improves as the book progresses or maybe I get a better handle on it!
Overall, this is a good read with a good premise in a terrific setting.
With thanks to NetGalley and Quercus Books for the ARC.
I really like the premise of the novel and the setting on the small Irish island is fantastic as it creates a great atmosphere. The night of Nessa’s murder is depicted well, it’s almost Bacchanalian with a wild storm adding to the mood of the evening. The resentment of the islanders towards the wealthy Kinsella family comes across loud and clear with plenty of tension, suspicion and mistrust. The portrayal of the characters is good, Henry is not at all likeable and Keelin is an interesting puzzle. There’s an explosive atmosphere between some of the characters too. The mystery of Nessa’s fate builds well to a stormy crescendo, with a storm of hate coming the Kinsella way and their friendless isolation is clear. I did guess part of the ending but this in no way spoils the outcome. I had expected this to be a murder mystery drama and it is but one of the main themes is domestic control and abuse which I hadn’t expected. However, this is done well and is an important topic and a valid part of the storyline.
My one issue with the book is that initially it does not flow very well with some backtracking and it’s hard to make sense of what’s going on. However, this improves as the book progresses or maybe I get a better handle on it!
Overall, this is a good read with a good premise in a terrific setting.
With thanks to NetGalley and Quercus Books for the ARC.
July 19, 2020
** Mild spoilers below **
Although this is being marketed as a murder mystery/psychological thriller, what makes it stand out is not the revelation (there are so few suspects, anyway, in a tiny island community that it's not hard to unravel) but the acute and genuinely disturbing portrait of domestic abuse and coercive control.
Domestic violence has been extensively explored in fiction in recent years, but the domestic coercion that O'Neill is uncovering here (and the afterword is a tribute to the research behind the novel) is so much more insidious, leaving mental rather than physical scars and thus rendering the victims even more isolated, even questioning their own mental well-being.
As was the case with her Asking For It, O'Neill uses her fiction as a vehicle for increasing our understanding of a phenomenon that deserves more understanding (not to mention more public funding). Once again, the book is spot on in relation to the (not so) subtle ways misogyny plays out in our media and cultural modes of thinking from gendered ageing and appearance ('there were no comments about Henry's appearance, she noticed. He was allowed to have aged within the last ten years, but for her to have done so was a crime against humanity') to blaming the wife when a husband has an affair. As a character in the book says so aptly, 'Don't you think it's interesting that we always ask "Why do these women stay?" We never think to ask, "Why are these men violent?" or "Why won't these men stop terrorising their partners?" '
While there is so much good stuff in this book, it does take some patience especially at the start where various timelines and PoVs are flung at us in rather confusing fashion so do bear that in mind. The documentary film-makers are a bit of a distraction, and having one of them the victim of abuse feels perhaps a bit glib. If you're in this merely for the crime/murder story then this is very slow burn in that respect. But, then, it's so much more than a conventional mystery - and so much scarier.
Many thanks to Quercus for an ARC via NetGalley
'You're so thin,' he said, his voice admiring. He liked her this way, liked how pure she looked.
Although this is being marketed as a murder mystery/psychological thriller, what makes it stand out is not the revelation (there are so few suspects, anyway, in a tiny island community that it's not hard to unravel) but the acute and genuinely disturbing portrait of domestic abuse and coercive control.
Domestic violence has been extensively explored in fiction in recent years, but the domestic coercion that O'Neill is uncovering here (and the afterword is a tribute to the research behind the novel) is so much more insidious, leaving mental rather than physical scars and thus rendering the victims even more isolated, even questioning their own mental well-being.
As was the case with her Asking For It, O'Neill uses her fiction as a vehicle for increasing our understanding of a phenomenon that deserves more understanding (not to mention more public funding). Once again, the book is spot on in relation to the (not so) subtle ways misogyny plays out in our media and cultural modes of thinking from gendered ageing and appearance ('there were no comments about Henry's appearance, she noticed. He was allowed to have aged within the last ten years, but for her to have done so was a crime against humanity') to blaming the wife when a husband has an affair. As a character in the book says so aptly, 'Don't you think it's interesting that we always ask "Why do these women stay?" We never think to ask, "Why are these men violent?" or "Why won't these men stop terrorising their partners?" '
While there is so much good stuff in this book, it does take some patience especially at the start where various timelines and PoVs are flung at us in rather confusing fashion so do bear that in mind. The documentary film-makers are a bit of a distraction, and having one of them the victim of abuse feels perhaps a bit glib. If you're in this merely for the crime/murder story then this is very slow burn in that respect. But, then, it's so much more than a conventional mystery - and so much scarier.
Many thanks to Quercus for an ARC via NetGalley
February 9, 2024
Having read Asking for it and Only Ever Yours, I know this author can do better than this.
What a disappointment.
This book is all over the place.
I don't think this book knows if it wants to be a podcast or Netflix documentary, and the characters definitely don't know who they are. They are as dazed as I was reading this book.
There's weird who experienced the worst domestic violence conversations, and the characters have loyalty lines that have no foundation or make any sense.
I appreciate the author showcasing multiple examples of domestic abuse however its poorly executed, in my opinion.
Two stars.
What a disappointment.
This book is all over the place.
I don't think this book knows if it wants to be a podcast or Netflix documentary, and the characters definitely don't know who they are. They are as dazed as I was reading this book.
There's weird who experienced the worst domestic violence conversations, and the characters have loyalty lines that have no foundation or make any sense.
I appreciate the author showcasing multiple examples of domestic abuse however its poorly executed, in my opinion.
Two stars.
December 21, 2020
Ten years ago Henry and Keelin Kinsella had a party at their luxury home on the island of Inisrun. During the party there is a violent storm cutting off the power. The next day the body of Nessa Crowley is discovered in the garden. Who killed her? Nobody could leave the island, so the murder should be easy to solve!! Henry is to blame but no one is convicted of the crime.
Ten years later a film crew arrives to investigate wha did kill Nessa and Henry is keen to clear his name. Everyone on the island is to be interviewed, but are some secrets best kept buried!!
I love a good murder mystery. I loved that it was set in a close knit community with the storm adding a dramatical touch. I had fun looking at all the party guests trying to work out who killed Nessa.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
Ten years later a film crew arrives to investigate wha did kill Nessa and Henry is keen to clear his name. Everyone on the island is to be interviewed, but are some secrets best kept buried!!
I love a good murder mystery. I loved that it was set in a close knit community with the storm adding a dramatical touch. I had fun looking at all the party guests trying to work out who killed Nessa.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
July 3, 2020
After The Silence is a claustrophobic, tension fuelled novel from Louise O'Neill who as ever shows a huge amount of insight about the inner turmoil of women everywhere.
After the Silence is set on a small island within a close knit community - This community is torn apart by the loss of one of their own on a stormy, unforgettable night.
Years later a documentary about the tragedy is on the cards, threatening the fragile peace that really was never that peaceful. With sensitivity and clever plotting the author explores themes of control, self esteem and the secrecy that can exist in family relationships and wraps it up in a beautifully crafted and descriptively haunting psychological thriller.
There's a reason I'm a huge fan of this author and here is another example.
Highly recommended.
After the Silence is set on a small island within a close knit community - This community is torn apart by the loss of one of their own on a stormy, unforgettable night.
Years later a documentary about the tragedy is on the cards, threatening the fragile peace that really was never that peaceful. With sensitivity and clever plotting the author explores themes of control, self esteem and the secrecy that can exist in family relationships and wraps it up in a beautifully crafted and descriptively haunting psychological thriller.
There's a reason I'm a huge fan of this author and here is another example.
Highly recommended.
August 31, 2020
I really hate it when a premise to a book promises something so much more than the book itself actually offers. Such was the case with AFTER THE SILENCE by Louise O'Neill. What was meant to be about the ten year anniversary of the murder of Nessa Crowley ended up something far more discombobulated to the point of boring and uninteresting.
Ten years have passed since the brutal murder of Nessa Crowley during the Kinsellas party and no one has every been charged or convicted of her murder. Now a documentary team of two from Australia have arrived to hopefully shed some light on that fateful night in an attempt to uncover what really happened.
Keelin and Henry Kinsella are prime suspects, having been vilified by the local residents of the island of Inisrun, where they live. Their children have grown up and lived in the shadow of Nessa's murder, their daughter escaping to boarding school in Scotland at age 11 simply to escape the notoriety and be somewhere where no one knows her family or what happened. Alex has withdrawn and keeps to himself.
Keelin is a native of the island, having escaped an abusive marriage with her young son Alex. Apparently a fortune teller had predicted that her husband would only have daughters so therefore his birth proved that Keelin had been unfaithful to him. Upon returning to the island, Henry took an interest in her and provided her the comfort and security she longed for.
But the Kinsellas are not liked on Inisrun. The resentment of the locals towards them is palpable, made loud and clear. Keelin is now an outcast to the island she was born on, having sold herself out by marrying a Kinsella.
And then on the night of her 37th birthday party, young Nessa Crowley was found murdered in their garden with the suspicion placed firmly on Henry and on Keelin for somehow protecting him.
I thought I was reading a murder mystery thriller but it felt more like a noir version of Days of our Lives. I really didn't care for anyone. Not one character. Henry is coercive and attention-seeking. Keelin is submissive and weak. Alex is a shadow who'd rather not come out of his room. Evie is a stubborn teenager who knows it all. Noah and Jake, the film makers...didn't really form an opinion of them in as far as I read. Because to be honest, I couldn't finish it.
But one of my biggest gripes in AFTER THE SILENCE is the prolific use of the Irish tongue. While I understand that the story is set in a part of Ireland where Irish is the primary spoken language, many readers are not proficient in such a language so for them it is completely foreign. Either there was the constant use of the native tongue or Keelin drifting off into fairyland, as she so often did.
AFTER THE SILENCE is a difficult read in my opinion. If not for the mere fact that I struggled to reach 20% before chucking it in through sheer boredom and for want of something far more thrilling. While this book is not for everyone due to it's content matter, it wasn't for me for other reasons entirely.
Having been promised thrills and mystery, I felt cheated with only boredom and frustration.
I would like to thank #LouiseONeill, #NetGalley and #Quercus for an ARC of #AfterTheSilence in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
Ten years have passed since the brutal murder of Nessa Crowley during the Kinsellas party and no one has every been charged or convicted of her murder. Now a documentary team of two from Australia have arrived to hopefully shed some light on that fateful night in an attempt to uncover what really happened.
Keelin and Henry Kinsella are prime suspects, having been vilified by the local residents of the island of Inisrun, where they live. Their children have grown up and lived in the shadow of Nessa's murder, their daughter escaping to boarding school in Scotland at age 11 simply to escape the notoriety and be somewhere where no one knows her family or what happened. Alex has withdrawn and keeps to himself.
Keelin is a native of the island, having escaped an abusive marriage with her young son Alex. Apparently a fortune teller had predicted that her husband would only have daughters so therefore his birth proved that Keelin had been unfaithful to him. Upon returning to the island, Henry took an interest in her and provided her the comfort and security she longed for.
But the Kinsellas are not liked on Inisrun. The resentment of the locals towards them is palpable, made loud and clear. Keelin is now an outcast to the island she was born on, having sold herself out by marrying a Kinsella.
And then on the night of her 37th birthday party, young Nessa Crowley was found murdered in their garden with the suspicion placed firmly on Henry and on Keelin for somehow protecting him.
I thought I was reading a murder mystery thriller but it felt more like a noir version of Days of our Lives. I really didn't care for anyone. Not one character. Henry is coercive and attention-seeking. Keelin is submissive and weak. Alex is a shadow who'd rather not come out of his room. Evie is a stubborn teenager who knows it all. Noah and Jake, the film makers...didn't really form an opinion of them in as far as I read. Because to be honest, I couldn't finish it.
But one of my biggest gripes in AFTER THE SILENCE is the prolific use of the Irish tongue. While I understand that the story is set in a part of Ireland where Irish is the primary spoken language, many readers are not proficient in such a language so for them it is completely foreign. Either there was the constant use of the native tongue or Keelin drifting off into fairyland, as she so often did.
AFTER THE SILENCE is a difficult read in my opinion. If not for the mere fact that I struggled to reach 20% before chucking it in through sheer boredom and for want of something far more thrilling. While this book is not for everyone due to it's content matter, it wasn't for me for other reasons entirely.
Having been promised thrills and mystery, I felt cheated with only boredom and frustration.
I would like to thank #LouiseONeill, #NetGalley and #Quercus for an ARC of #AfterTheSilence in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
July 7, 2020
I loved the premise of this book, wherein a documentary crew decides to investigate and re-visit all evidence relating to a long unsolved murder.
The book focuses on Henry and Keelin Kinsella, whose lives changed forever when a young woman, Nessa Crowley's lifeless body lay in their garden after a wild birthday party at their big house.
No-one was charged with the murder due to lack of evidence and witnesses. But the islanders constantly blamed the Kinsellas. So, ten years later, when a documentary crew arrives, everyone hopes that they find evidence that will prove Henry's guilt and Keelin's complicity in the murder of beautiful Nessa.
This book was gripping and good. The narration shifts between the events leading up to the party, and the present day where the crew consisting of Noah and Jake interview the Kinsellas and other people involved. While the narration itself was good, I hope there was more clarity in the timeline of events.
It also focuses on Keelin's various family relationships. Her son, Alex, whom she loves and wants to protect but he seems distant to her. Her daughter, Evie, who worships her husband Henry but seems to blame Keelin for everything that happens. Her violent ex- husband from whom she is lucky to escape and find comfort in the arms of Henry, who slowly begins to control every aspect of her life.
While the final reveal was kind of predictable, the entire set up of the book was good. It kept me hooked on till the end to see what new evidence the crew will be able to reveal and whether the truth will actually be revealed or get buried again.
Thank You to NetGalley and Quercus Books for this ARC!!
The book focuses on Henry and Keelin Kinsella, whose lives changed forever when a young woman, Nessa Crowley's lifeless body lay in their garden after a wild birthday party at their big house.
No-one was charged with the murder due to lack of evidence and witnesses. But the islanders constantly blamed the Kinsellas. So, ten years later, when a documentary crew arrives, everyone hopes that they find evidence that will prove Henry's guilt and Keelin's complicity in the murder of beautiful Nessa.
This book was gripping and good. The narration shifts between the events leading up to the party, and the present day where the crew consisting of Noah and Jake interview the Kinsellas and other people involved. While the narration itself was good, I hope there was more clarity in the timeline of events.
It also focuses on Keelin's various family relationships. Her son, Alex, whom she loves and wants to protect but he seems distant to her. Her daughter, Evie, who worships her husband Henry but seems to blame Keelin for everything that happens. Her violent ex- husband from whom she is lucky to escape and find comfort in the arms of Henry, who slowly begins to control every aspect of her life.
While the final reveal was kind of predictable, the entire set up of the book was good. It kept me hooked on till the end to see what new evidence the crew will be able to reveal and whether the truth will actually be revealed or get buried again.
Thank You to NetGalley and Quercus Books for this ARC!!
December 4, 2020
I received this book from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
YT Review here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRpUw...
10 years ago, Nessa Crowley was discovered dead in the Kinsella's back garden following a huge party, and a storm. No-one was every charged, though all suspicion pointed heavily at Henry Kinsella. Now a documentary crew has arrived to the Irish island of Inisrún to interview all those involved - including Henry and Keelin Kinsella - and possibly discover who is keeping the most secrets from the night the three Crowley girls became two.
This book is full of intrigue and intensity, with a really great past and present storyline interspersed with interview dialogue between the documentary crew and the locals on the island. The main character of the book is 47-year-old Keelin Kinsella who appears to be a complete stranger compared to the woman who celebrated 37 years on the night Nessa was murdered. Now, Keelin's every move appears to be controlled by her husband - but it's Keelin who asked him to do this in the first place. Her son hides in the bedroom, and her daughter doesn't want to spend any time with her. Yet Keelin is a woman full of kindness and gentleness, with an urge to help others but secrets she must keep hidden away. So she hides herself.
I loved following an older character as I think in the past Louise O'Neill has excelled in writing teenagers and women tackling their mid-twenties. Now, she's proven she can also write an older woman struggling with a myriad of issues that generally younger women don't deal with - family problems, death of parents, narcissistic husbands as well as the failing of the body as it becomes older and creakier, and a propensity to be more round than slender.
I think people who love true crime documentaries and podcasts will really love this book. I believe it was inspired by the West Cork podcast and I can see some of the similarities. This book isn't a 'thriller' in the basic sense of the word but that's not Louise O'Neill's style and this book feels more along the lines of Liz Nugent's crime-writing. It's slower and steadier and builds up the relationships and the complexities of each character in the novel before revealing everything to the reader. I was really impressed in how Louise O'Neill managed the crime aspects of this novel as it's something that I haven't seen her write before and I think she did it perfectly and in a way that wasn't all blood, guts, gore but asks bigger questions like what makes people act the way they do, and react the way they do? How far will people go for the people they love?
I also adored the Irishness in this book. The story is set on an insular Irish island meaning Irish culture -both traditions and language - is hugely important to the population. They don't like blow-in's like the Kinsella's and treat those who fall in with them (like Keelin) with similar suspicion. But the tender moments in this book that showed Keelin and Alex talking Irish to one another was just lovely, and added an extra element to the book for me that I loved a lot.
I can't say I was left 100% satisfied with the answers I got at the end of the novel but Louise O'Neill always ends her books with a slight question mark and a challenge to the readers which I've come to love and expect. At this point it would be weird if she tied it up with a neat bow, and left us with nothing else.
I loved this, and I hope others love it too. I think it's her best yet and really shows the maturity and the strength of Louise O'Neill's writing.
YT Review here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRpUw...
10 years ago, Nessa Crowley was discovered dead in the Kinsella's back garden following a huge party, and a storm. No-one was every charged, though all suspicion pointed heavily at Henry Kinsella. Now a documentary crew has arrived to the Irish island of Inisrún to interview all those involved - including Henry and Keelin Kinsella - and possibly discover who is keeping the most secrets from the night the three Crowley girls became two.
This book is full of intrigue and intensity, with a really great past and present storyline interspersed with interview dialogue between the documentary crew and the locals on the island. The main character of the book is 47-year-old Keelin Kinsella who appears to be a complete stranger compared to the woman who celebrated 37 years on the night Nessa was murdered. Now, Keelin's every move appears to be controlled by her husband - but it's Keelin who asked him to do this in the first place. Her son hides in the bedroom, and her daughter doesn't want to spend any time with her. Yet Keelin is a woman full of kindness and gentleness, with an urge to help others but secrets she must keep hidden away. So she hides herself.
I loved following an older character as I think in the past Louise O'Neill has excelled in writing teenagers and women tackling their mid-twenties. Now, she's proven she can also write an older woman struggling with a myriad of issues that generally younger women don't deal with - family problems, death of parents, narcissistic husbands as well as the failing of the body as it becomes older and creakier, and a propensity to be more round than slender.
I think people who love true crime documentaries and podcasts will really love this book. I believe it was inspired by the West Cork podcast and I can see some of the similarities. This book isn't a 'thriller' in the basic sense of the word but that's not Louise O'Neill's style and this book feels more along the lines of Liz Nugent's crime-writing. It's slower and steadier and builds up the relationships and the complexities of each character in the novel before revealing everything to the reader. I was really impressed in how Louise O'Neill managed the crime aspects of this novel as it's something that I haven't seen her write before and I think she did it perfectly and in a way that wasn't all blood, guts, gore but asks bigger questions like what makes people act the way they do, and react the way they do? How far will people go for the people they love?
I also adored the Irishness in this book. The story is set on an insular Irish island meaning Irish culture -both traditions and language - is hugely important to the population. They don't like blow-in's like the Kinsella's and treat those who fall in with them (like Keelin) with similar suspicion. But the tender moments in this book that showed Keelin and Alex talking Irish to one another was just lovely, and added an extra element to the book for me that I loved a lot.
I can't say I was left 100% satisfied with the answers I got at the end of the novel but Louise O'Neill always ends her books with a slight question mark and a challenge to the readers which I've come to love and expect. At this point it would be weird if she tied it up with a neat bow, and left us with nothing else.
I loved this, and I hope others love it too. I think it's her best yet and really shows the maturity and the strength of Louise O'Neill's writing.
August 29, 2020
Ten years have passed since Nessa Crowley was brutally murdered at a birthday party. No one has ever been convicted of her murder. Now, a documentary is being made to try and uncover what had happened. Keelin and her husband, Henry are the prime suspects and they've been vilified by the local residents where they live. Jane and Noah are the film makers who have come to make the documentary.
Nessa was the oldest sister of the Crowley girls. Everyone is hopeful that the documentary team will uncover new evidence and the murder case will be solved. Most of the narrative comes from the interviews that were taken for the documentary. Most of the characters are unlikeable in this twisty and fast paced read. I enjoyed the authors writing style. 5his is an atmospheric read.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Quercus Books and the author Louise O'Neill for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Nessa was the oldest sister of the Crowley girls. Everyone is hopeful that the documentary team will uncover new evidence and the murder case will be solved. Most of the narrative comes from the interviews that were taken for the documentary. Most of the characters are unlikeable in this twisty and fast paced read. I enjoyed the authors writing style. 5his is an atmospheric read.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Quercus Books and the author Louise O'Neill for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 5, 2020
I was really excited about this one. I loved the premise of a documentary investigating an good murder on a secluded island. However, the execution was poor. The flashback style is usually great for me, but there was no indication to the reader that it was a different time to the previous paragraph, or how much time had passed. The frequent Gaelic references were never explained either which I found frustrating. There is a huge emphasis on domestic violence, and while I think this is something not to be shied away from, the relevance to the story is weak at times. I liked the actual plot and interesting characters though, and the twists were good.
December 10, 2020
A fascinating thriller/mystery set on a remote Irish island - this is so eerie, engaging and upsetting, my favourite of Louise's books so far. (16+)
*Please note: this review is meant as a recommendation only. Please do not use it in any marketing material, online or in print, without asking permission from me first. Thank you!*
*Please note: this review is meant as a recommendation only. Please do not use it in any marketing material, online or in print, without asking permission from me first. Thank you!*
January 26, 2021
i need a million more gaelteacht whodunnit novels stat
October 28, 2023
2.5
Longer than it needed to be and the reveal didn't make up for that. I did like the way it ended.
It could have been a lot better.
Longer than it needed to be and the reveal didn't make up for that. I did like the way it ended.
It could have been a lot better.
June 16, 2024
4⭐️= Good.
Paperback.
This was my monthly, physical book club read and a good one it was too!
Right from the start there was a feeling of impending doom and this made it great reading.
As for genre… this was multidimensional and covered everything…crime, psychology, domesticity, control and love.
Paperback.
This was my monthly, physical book club read and a good one it was too!
Right from the start there was a feeling of impending doom and this made it great reading.
As for genre… this was multidimensional and covered everything…crime, psychology, domesticity, control and love.
December 18, 2021
Louise O’Neill has turned her hand to many different genres; young adult, contemporary fiction and now a psychological thriller. And I’m here for every one of them because I love the sharpness and brutal honesty in her writing.
MY THOUGHTS ON AFTER THE SILENCE
This book is set on a small island off West Cork, and features a decade old murder, a true life documentary about the case and tightly clung secrets. I love the way the story unfolded. Mostly through Keelin Kinsella’s perspective, but also via the documentary transcripts and a collective voice from the Islanders.
The mystery is satisfying, but heart of the book is domestic violence, and the many shades it can wear. I felt that it made me look and think differently about why women stay. And it made me angry and sad. It got right in under my skin and made me itch with all the uncomfortable feels.
I also blame the book for making me a bit snarky while I read it, as I just wanted to read and read and not be disturbed. I felt immersed in the Island setting and the secrets that I had to unravel and not just the who but the why, and all the threads that led to that point.
A book I won’t forget in a hurry. Bold, brutal and beautiful.
WHO SHOULD READ AFTER THE SILENCE?
Highly recommended if you enjoyed the West Cork podcast, or if you love books about family secrets, or books that make you sit up and want to take action.
Thanks to RIVERRUN for giving me for giving me a copy of this book for review consideration. As always, no matter what the source of the book, you get my honest, unbiased opinion.
MY THOUGHTS ON AFTER THE SILENCE
This book is set on a small island off West Cork, and features a decade old murder, a true life documentary about the case and tightly clung secrets. I love the way the story unfolded. Mostly through Keelin Kinsella’s perspective, but also via the documentary transcripts and a collective voice from the Islanders.
The mystery is satisfying, but heart of the book is domestic violence, and the many shades it can wear. I felt that it made me look and think differently about why women stay. And it made me angry and sad. It got right in under my skin and made me itch with all the uncomfortable feels.
I also blame the book for making me a bit snarky while I read it, as I just wanted to read and read and not be disturbed. I felt immersed in the Island setting and the secrets that I had to unravel and not just the who but the why, and all the threads that led to that point.
A book I won’t forget in a hurry. Bold, brutal and beautiful.
WHO SHOULD READ AFTER THE SILENCE?
Highly recommended if you enjoyed the West Cork podcast, or if you love books about family secrets, or books that make you sit up and want to take action.
Thanks to RIVERRUN for giving me for giving me a copy of this book for review consideration. As always, no matter what the source of the book, you get my honest, unbiased opinion.
August 29, 2020
Ten years have passed since Nessa Crowley was brutally murdered at a birthday party. No one has ever been convicted of her murder. Now, a documentary is being made to try and uncover what had happened. Keelin and her husband Henry are the prime suspects and they've been vilified by the local residents where they live. Jake and Noah are the two film makers who have come to make the documentary.
Nessa was the oldest sister of the Crowley girls. Everyone is hopeful that the documentary team will uncover new evidence and the murder case will be solved. Most of the narrative comes from the interviews that were taken for the documentary. Most of the characters are unlikeable in this twisty and fast paced read. I enjoyed the authors writing style. This is an atmospheric thriller.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Quercus Books and the author Louise O'Neill for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Nessa was the oldest sister of the Crowley girls. Everyone is hopeful that the documentary team will uncover new evidence and the murder case will be solved. Most of the narrative comes from the interviews that were taken for the documentary. Most of the characters are unlikeable in this twisty and fast paced read. I enjoyed the authors writing style. This is an atmospheric thriller.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Quercus Books and the author Louise O'Neill for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 30, 2020
This was a really interesting concept but unfortunately it didn't really feel like a thriller to me
It took me a really long time to get into this book. I really struggled with the writing and the structure at the beginning.
I did however, manage to get into the story as it went along.
I did enjoy this book but it didn't feel like a thriller to me.
I liked the idea of the true crime documentary but I think I would have perfered if the whole book was written in interview transcript.
The pacing felt off to me. There were parts when lots was happening and other parts which felt really slow.
As with all of Louise O'Neill's books there were themes of feminism and sexism which are great but in the context of a thriller I felt like they took away the suspense from the story and made it feel more like a contemporary with a mystery element
Overall, this was a good book it's just not my favourite thriller I've ever read
TW: domestic abuse, murder and gaslighting
It took me a really long time to get into this book. I really struggled with the writing and the structure at the beginning.
I did however, manage to get into the story as it went along.
I did enjoy this book but it didn't feel like a thriller to me.
I liked the idea of the true crime documentary but I think I would have perfered if the whole book was written in interview transcript.
The pacing felt off to me. There were parts when lots was happening and other parts which felt really slow.
As with all of Louise O'Neill's books there were themes of feminism and sexism which are great but in the context of a thriller I felt like they took away the suspense from the story and made it feel more like a contemporary with a mystery element
Overall, this was a good book it's just not my favourite thriller I've ever read
TW: domestic abuse, murder and gaslighting
September 20, 2020
Two words - Powerful and haunting.
I think O'Neill has developed a fascinating psychology in Keelin and told an important story about domestic violence while also weaving in a genuinely intriguing mystery. I also really enjoyed how inherently Irish the book feels, through her use of Irish and chapters told from the perspective of the island and its people. Ar fheabhas.
I think O'Neill has developed a fascinating psychology in Keelin and told an important story about domestic violence while also weaving in a genuinely intriguing mystery. I also really enjoyed how inherently Irish the book feels, through her use of Irish and chapters told from the perspective of the island and its people. Ar fheabhas.
October 20, 2020
Just absolutely devastating. But of course, I have come to expect that of Louise O’Neill.
After two brilliant forays into young adult novels, both well worth a read, O’Neill brought her unstinting criticism of patriarchy to her first adult novel Almost Love in the best and most scathing way possible. After the Silence is a more-than-worthy second adult novel. While both have passing similarities—depictions of emotional abuse, gaslighting, male partners treating women poorly—O’Neill looks at these issues from an entirely different angle. She forces us to confront not the darkest parts of relationships (particularly with men); rather she forces us to confront the greyest parts, the parts we seldom talk about because to admit they are present would be to admit our entire model of romance is broken.
Hopefully the description of the book is enough, but in case it isn’t, seriously, massive trigger warnings for partner abuse, gaslighting, controlling and manipulative behaviour, murder, etc. I struggled with this at times, and I have never had a romantic relationship, let alone a toxic or abusive one—I can only imagine how triggering this book would be for some people who have, and you should really, really think hard about whether you want to expose yourself to that before you read this.
But to be clear: if you are up for it, After the Silence is a stone-cold masterpiece.
On one level, this is a psychological thriller. A documentary crew arrives on the small island of Inisrún. They are investigating the unsolved murder of Nessa Crowley, who ten years ago was found dead during a party on the storm-embattled island. The islanders blame Henry Kinsella and, by association, his wife Keelin, who is our protagonist. As the story progresses, we must wonder whether or not Henry is guilty—and if so, is Keelin covering for him, an unreliable narrator?—or if the mystery goes deeper. In actuality, Henry is guilty of many other things—whether or not he is the murderer is not something I will spoil.
Do not expect a simple thriller here though. Almost from page one, O’Neill makes it clear that the psychology in this psychological thriller is far more focused on Keelin Kinsella’s relationship with Henry. The brutality of O’Neill’s depiction of abuse is in its very mediocrity. Keelin, having left a physically abusive husband and subsequently trained as a domestic violence counsellor, believes she knows what abuse is. So when Henry begins to control her, to encourage her not to leave Inisrún, cut her off from her credit cards, her phone, her friends, medicate her—all “for her own good”—and because he does it gradually enough, Keelin doesn’t see what’s going on. Or maybe she does, but she is too afraid to acknowledge it. Because you can’t forget the death of Nessa Crowley. You can’t forget the way it ostracized the Kinsellas, and how, against such opposition, they would necessarily feel the need for solidarity. So not only might Keelin feel like she can’t run—she also doesn’t really have anywhere to run to.
If you’re anything like me, you’ll turn these pages while your skin crawls, and you’ll want to yell at the book, as if it could transmit your words to Keelin: leave him, run, wake up and realize what he’s doing. Every moment of reading After the Silence is a visceral moment of feeling Keelin’s sense of swimming through lead.
If that were it, if this book were just a portrayal of a woman being gaslit and manipulated by her husband in the decade following a murder, then the book would be good. But what makes this book sublime is how O’Neill connects the dots for us between Henry’s behaviour and our patriarchal society.
I think there is room to read Henry’s behaviour in two ways. On the one hand, he knows exactly what he is doing: he is the mastermind, the manipulator, cunningly controlling his wife for his own ends. On the other hand, I prefer the idea that Henry is somewhat oblivious to the harm in his behaviour—that is to say, he is not naive and he knows that he is good at manipulating people, but he genuinely believes that this is what love is. We see this throughout the book. He uses all the right phrases, condemns obvious incidents of sexism, tells Keelin she needs to listen to him “express his feelings” because isn’t communication important in a relationship? Henry is the epitome of the woke misogynist.
This is the true danger lurking at the heart of After the Silence. The problem is not the women who are abused. And without trying to excuse individual responsibility, the men who are the abusers are a symptom of the ultimate problem: our society enables abuse, particularly the abuse of women at the hands of male partners. It does this in multiple ways. Some are pretty obvious when you think about it—the way abused people can so easily be isolated in an age where we all seem connected at the hip through our phones, the victim-blaming and lack of supports to people who actually leave their situation of abuse. But most of th ways our society enables abuse are far more pernicious, and Henry is a textbook case. This is particularly evident towards the end, when we hear more about his backstory. No one taught Henry how to have a healthy relationship. He learned bad lessons, built atop a tower of white and male privilege. In Henry’s mind, his love for Keelin justifies how he behaves towards her, because our society teaches men that to love a woman is to want to control her, to put her on a pedestal, to bind her to you so that you can admire her and praise her—but on your terms and in a way that can never threaten your own success. Just think back to the vast majority of romances and romantic comedies with these kinds of messages.
Echoes of this theme abound throughout the book. Consider how Nessa and her two sisters were mythologized as the beautiful, slightly alien Crowley Girls. From an early age, we teach girls—intentionally and unintentionally—that their beauty is tied to their self worth. Nessa, even at 20, was still a very young, very inexperienced woman. She gets taken advantage of, not because she lacks agency, but because the messaging she received for the first two decades of her life have twisted that sense of agency. What we view as unacceptable she views as acceptable because it validates the messages we have told her for 20 years.
Did Henry Kinsella kill Nessa Crowley? Does she ever get justice? You’ll have to read the book to find out! I won’t lie: it will be a difficult read, but it is so worthwhile. O’Neill engages me, gets me thinking about these issues, all while telling a deep, rich, dark story. This is the power of fiction at full strength; what would be dry or too stark when laid out in non-fiction becomes moving, terrifying, paramount when told through fiction’s lens. After the Silence is an abiding story of abuse, patriarchy, toxic masculinity, and the tolls that these take on women—up to and including their very lives.
Originally posted on Kara.Reviews, where you can easily browse all my reviews and subscribe to my newsletter.
After two brilliant forays into young adult novels, both well worth a read, O’Neill brought her unstinting criticism of patriarchy to her first adult novel Almost Love in the best and most scathing way possible. After the Silence is a more-than-worthy second adult novel. While both have passing similarities—depictions of emotional abuse, gaslighting, male partners treating women poorly—O’Neill looks at these issues from an entirely different angle. She forces us to confront not the darkest parts of relationships (particularly with men); rather she forces us to confront the greyest parts, the parts we seldom talk about because to admit they are present would be to admit our entire model of romance is broken.
Hopefully the description of the book is enough, but in case it isn’t, seriously, massive trigger warnings for partner abuse, gaslighting, controlling and manipulative behaviour, murder, etc. I struggled with this at times, and I have never had a romantic relationship, let alone a toxic or abusive one—I can only imagine how triggering this book would be for some people who have, and you should really, really think hard about whether you want to expose yourself to that before you read this.
But to be clear: if you are up for it, After the Silence is a stone-cold masterpiece.
On one level, this is a psychological thriller. A documentary crew arrives on the small island of Inisrún. They are investigating the unsolved murder of Nessa Crowley, who ten years ago was found dead during a party on the storm-embattled island. The islanders blame Henry Kinsella and, by association, his wife Keelin, who is our protagonist. As the story progresses, we must wonder whether or not Henry is guilty—and if so, is Keelin covering for him, an unreliable narrator?—or if the mystery goes deeper. In actuality, Henry is guilty of many other things—whether or not he is the murderer is not something I will spoil.
Do not expect a simple thriller here though. Almost from page one, O’Neill makes it clear that the psychology in this psychological thriller is far more focused on Keelin Kinsella’s relationship with Henry. The brutality of O’Neill’s depiction of abuse is in its very mediocrity. Keelin, having left a physically abusive husband and subsequently trained as a domestic violence counsellor, believes she knows what abuse is. So when Henry begins to control her, to encourage her not to leave Inisrún, cut her off from her credit cards, her phone, her friends, medicate her—all “for her own good”—and because he does it gradually enough, Keelin doesn’t see what’s going on. Or maybe she does, but she is too afraid to acknowledge it. Because you can’t forget the death of Nessa Crowley. You can’t forget the way it ostracized the Kinsellas, and how, against such opposition, they would necessarily feel the need for solidarity. So not only might Keelin feel like she can’t run—she also doesn’t really have anywhere to run to.
If you’re anything like me, you’ll turn these pages while your skin crawls, and you’ll want to yell at the book, as if it could transmit your words to Keelin: leave him, run, wake up and realize what he’s doing. Every moment of reading After the Silence is a visceral moment of feeling Keelin’s sense of swimming through lead.
If that were it, if this book were just a portrayal of a woman being gaslit and manipulated by her husband in the decade following a murder, then the book would be good. But what makes this book sublime is how O’Neill connects the dots for us between Henry’s behaviour and our patriarchal society.
I think there is room to read Henry’s behaviour in two ways. On the one hand, he knows exactly what he is doing: he is the mastermind, the manipulator, cunningly controlling his wife for his own ends. On the other hand, I prefer the idea that Henry is somewhat oblivious to the harm in his behaviour—that is to say, he is not naive and he knows that he is good at manipulating people, but he genuinely believes that this is what love is. We see this throughout the book. He uses all the right phrases, condemns obvious incidents of sexism, tells Keelin she needs to listen to him “express his feelings” because isn’t communication important in a relationship? Henry is the epitome of the woke misogynist.
This is the true danger lurking at the heart of After the Silence. The problem is not the women who are abused. And without trying to excuse individual responsibility, the men who are the abusers are a symptom of the ultimate problem: our society enables abuse, particularly the abuse of women at the hands of male partners. It does this in multiple ways. Some are pretty obvious when you think about it—the way abused people can so easily be isolated in an age where we all seem connected at the hip through our phones, the victim-blaming and lack of supports to people who actually leave their situation of abuse. But most of th ways our society enables abuse are far more pernicious, and Henry is a textbook case. This is particularly evident towards the end, when we hear more about his backstory. No one taught Henry how to have a healthy relationship. He learned bad lessons, built atop a tower of white and male privilege. In Henry’s mind, his love for Keelin justifies how he behaves towards her, because our society teaches men that to love a woman is to want to control her, to put her on a pedestal, to bind her to you so that you can admire her and praise her—but on your terms and in a way that can never threaten your own success. Just think back to the vast majority of romances and romantic comedies with these kinds of messages.
Echoes of this theme abound throughout the book. Consider how Nessa and her two sisters were mythologized as the beautiful, slightly alien Crowley Girls. From an early age, we teach girls—intentionally and unintentionally—that their beauty is tied to their self worth. Nessa, even at 20, was still a very young, very inexperienced woman. She gets taken advantage of, not because she lacks agency, but because the messaging she received for the first two decades of her life have twisted that sense of agency. What we view as unacceptable she views as acceptable because it validates the messages we have told her for 20 years.
Did Henry Kinsella kill Nessa Crowley? Does she ever get justice? You’ll have to read the book to find out! I won’t lie: it will be a difficult read, but it is so worthwhile. O’Neill engages me, gets me thinking about these issues, all while telling a deep, rich, dark story. This is the power of fiction at full strength; what would be dry or too stark when laid out in non-fiction becomes moving, terrifying, paramount when told through fiction’s lens. After the Silence is an abiding story of abuse, patriarchy, toxic masculinity, and the tolls that these take on women—up to and including their very lives.
Originally posted on Kara.Reviews, where you can easily browse all my reviews and subscribe to my newsletter.
September 10, 2020
*** This review is provided in return for a press copy of the novel.
Okay look. I think Louise O'Neill is excellent. Asking For It is one of my favourite books. But honestly, I'm not sure where she was going with this.
Primarily, I found her leap to murder-mystery very strange. This, combined with her need to push her Oirish heritage, really grated on me- but we'll come back to that.
I won't rehash the plot, but basically it's your typical happy-marriage-and-the-other-woman story. Imagine how that story ends, and you're basically there. It lacked exploration, I didn't feel any depth in the characters, and in particular I had no major affiliation towards any of them. When you consider the fact that the plot is basically asking you who you thought murdered The Crowley Girl- I knew exactly who it was, but also wasn't rooting for any of them. I didn't particularly care who did it, and I didn't care how they got through it.
Finally, I especially disliked her sprinkling of Irish language and heritage for 'authenticity'. It felt fake and forced, and ultimately it was jarring. I am from Cork and fluent in Irish, and many of the phrases are outdated and felt unnecessary. Throwing around the limited 'focail' does not build atmosphere.
Okay look. I think Louise O'Neill is excellent. Asking For It is one of my favourite books. But honestly, I'm not sure where she was going with this.
Primarily, I found her leap to murder-mystery very strange. This, combined with her need to push her Oirish heritage, really grated on me- but we'll come back to that.
I won't rehash the plot, but basically it's your typical happy-marriage-and-the-other-woman story. Imagine how that story ends, and you're basically there. It lacked exploration, I didn't feel any depth in the characters, and in particular I had no major affiliation towards any of them. When you consider the fact that the plot is basically asking you who you thought murdered The Crowley Girl- I knew exactly who it was, but also wasn't rooting for any of them. I didn't particularly care who did it, and I didn't care how they got through it.
Finally, I especially disliked her sprinkling of Irish language and heritage for 'authenticity'. It felt fake and forced, and ultimately it was jarring. I am from Cork and fluent in Irish, and many of the phrases are outdated and felt unnecessary. Throwing around the limited 'focail' does not build atmosphere.
August 15, 2020
Books by Louise O'Neill and I are having a bumpy ride recently. One I love, the other one I can't stand. After the Silence was a difficult read, but, hey, so are her other books. But this one got me simply bored.
Don't get me wrong, I take no pleasure saying that about a book but being honest is part of a job I guess.
I was promised thrills and mystery but I only got frustrated. Sorry, I can not recommend it.
Don't get me wrong, I take no pleasure saying that about a book but being honest is part of a job I guess.
I was promised thrills and mystery but I only got frustrated. Sorry, I can not recommend it.
will-probably-not-finish
July 5, 2021There is no way around admitting this: I could not read this because it stressed me out very badly. A combination of new motherhood and a pandemic made reading stressful books impossible for me. I felt claustrophobic reading this - from the very first page. O'Neill's writing had this effect on me before in the only other book of hers I've read (Almost Love) but where I loved that one, this time around I could not get myself to read this. I am sure this book will work beautifully for other people who are not as anxious about reading as I am.
I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
June 7, 2023
3.5 stars - another great page turner and cleverly written but the ending was a bit unsatisfying
June 26, 2021
If you are an avid mystery reader you can spot miles off ‘who dunnit ‘, but that doesnt matter one bit in this case.
Louise did what she does best: writing about complex characters and family intrigues, about people who are not necessary unlikeable because of all their flaws, they are very much human. It’s a slow built, and doesn’t give may be a satisfying answer to all your questions, it’s very much like real life in that sense.
Roll on the next Louise O’Neill.
Louise did what she does best: writing about complex characters and family intrigues, about people who are not necessary unlikeable because of all their flaws, they are very much human. It’s a slow built, and doesn’t give may be a satisfying answer to all your questions, it’s very much like real life in that sense.
Roll on the next Louise O’Neill.
September 21, 2020
Review originally posted on The Bibliophile Chronicles.
After the Silence is the dark and brilliantly told story of the small island of Inisrun which was devastated by the murder of Nessa Crowley at the Kinsella’s party ten years ago. The islanders believe they know who killed her, but it was never proven and the murderer walks free. Ten years later a film crew from Australia arrive to film a documentary about the murder that shook the islanders and perhaps also uncover the truth about what happened that night.
I’ve previously read Louise O’Neill’s The Surface Breaks and while this was a completely different kind of story it was just as compelling and unforgettable. O’Neill brings you right into the heart of Inisrun, getting to know the villagers and the events that led to the death of Nessa Crowley. I loved the way the story was written, flitting between the present day and the past with some parts told in an interview style. O’Neill has a really captivating writing style and it was so easy just to get lost in this story.
The story is a tense one and focuses particularly on domestic abuse. It was a chilling read and one that will stick with the reader long after they’ve finished reading. The story has a few twists and turns – ones I wasn’t particularly expecting. After the Silence feels like an incredibly well researched and executed tale, with really fascinating and complex characters. We mainly follow Keelin Kinsella, who on the surface has it all – she’s wealthy, has the perfect husband and two beautiful children. But there’s so much more going on behind the scenes and I think Louse O’Neill portrayed that perfectly.
After the Silence is much more than a typical psychological thriller. It’s a dark and fast paced story and one that fans of Louise O’Neill are sure to love.
After the Silence is the dark and brilliantly told story of the small island of Inisrun which was devastated by the murder of Nessa Crowley at the Kinsella’s party ten years ago. The islanders believe they know who killed her, but it was never proven and the murderer walks free. Ten years later a film crew from Australia arrive to film a documentary about the murder that shook the islanders and perhaps also uncover the truth about what happened that night.
I’ve previously read Louise O’Neill’s The Surface Breaks and while this was a completely different kind of story it was just as compelling and unforgettable. O’Neill brings you right into the heart of Inisrun, getting to know the villagers and the events that led to the death of Nessa Crowley. I loved the way the story was written, flitting between the present day and the past with some parts told in an interview style. O’Neill has a really captivating writing style and it was so easy just to get lost in this story.
The story is a tense one and focuses particularly on domestic abuse. It was a chilling read and one that will stick with the reader long after they’ve finished reading. The story has a few twists and turns – ones I wasn’t particularly expecting. After the Silence feels like an incredibly well researched and executed tale, with really fascinating and complex characters. We mainly follow Keelin Kinsella, who on the surface has it all – she’s wealthy, has the perfect husband and two beautiful children. But there’s so much more going on behind the scenes and I think Louse O’Neill portrayed that perfectly.
After the Silence is much more than a typical psychological thriller. It’s a dark and fast paced story and one that fans of Louise O’Neill are sure to love.
July 24, 2021
Ten years ago, on an island off the coast of Ireland, the wealthy Kinsella family threw a wild party.
But when the body of a young woman was found in the garden the next day, life on the island changed forever.
And now, ten years later, a documentary crew has arrived to try and get to the truth of what happened that night…
Louise O’Neill is an auto-read author for me (if you haven’t read Only Ever Yours, drop what you’re reading and grab it now!) and her first foray into the literary thriller genre didn’t disappoint.
This is a tightly written, gripping and cleverly done family drama that looks closely at coercive control, domestic violence and the secrets that we keep, both from ourselves and from each other.
I did spot the twists before they arrived and I felt that the pace lagged towards the end but overall I really enjoyed this and I’m already excited for whatever she comes out with next!
But when the body of a young woman was found in the garden the next day, life on the island changed forever.
And now, ten years later, a documentary crew has arrived to try and get to the truth of what happened that night…
Louise O’Neill is an auto-read author for me (if you haven’t read Only Ever Yours, drop what you’re reading and grab it now!) and her first foray into the literary thriller genre didn’t disappoint.
This is a tightly written, gripping and cleverly done family drama that looks closely at coercive control, domestic violence and the secrets that we keep, both from ourselves and from each other.
I did spot the twists before they arrived and I felt that the pace lagged towards the end but overall I really enjoyed this and I’m already excited for whatever she comes out with next!
November 2, 2020
Thank you to Netgalley and Quercus books on the arc of After the Silence by Louise O'Neill.
4 stars- This was a great read, very enjoyable and and thrilling read had me enthralled into it and hooked on every page such a page turner. It is well written and structured amazingly too.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
4 stars- This was a great read, very enjoyable and and thrilling read had me enthralled into it and hooked on every page such a page turner. It is well written and structured amazingly too.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
October 15, 2025
Ending was a cop out but otherwise well worth it
March 18, 2021
The ending which you have expect in your mind is not how the book ends. Such a good read. Mind was blown l.
September 6, 2020
Compellingly good - well paced and movingly written. Pages 390 -391 with its analogy has some impact.
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