What do you think?
Rate this book
The Quiet People
Cameron and Lisa Murdoch are successful crime writers. They have been on the promotional circuit, joking that no one knows how to get away with crime like they do. After all, they write about it for a living.
So when their seven-year-old son Zach goes missing, the police and the public naturally wonder if they have finally decided to prove what they have been saying all this time...
Are they trying to show how they can commit the perfect crime?
So when their seven-year-old son Zach goes missing, the police and the public naturally wonder if they have finally decided to prove what they have been saying all this time...
Are they trying to show how they can commit the perfect crime?
419 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2021
571 people are currently reading
3205 people want to read
About the author
Paul Cleave
44 books865 followersPaul Cleave is an internationally bestselling author who is currently dividing his time between his home city of Christchurch, New Zealand, where all of his novels are set, and Europe, where none of his novels are set. His work has been translated into fifteen languages. He has won the Ngaio Marsh award for best crime novel in New Zealand, he won the Saint-Maur book festival's crime novel of the year in France, has been shortlisted for the Edgar Award and the Barry Award in the US, and shortlisted for the Ned Kelly award in Australia. When he's not writing, he spends his time swearing on a golf course, swearing on a tennis court, or trying to add to his list of 25 countries where he's thrown his Frisbee.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 600 reviews
August 22, 2022
Pull up a chair......
Let's visit a while with this one.
The Quiet People by Paul Cleave is a most exasperating read. It presses you into the peaks and valleys of trying to keep your finger on the pulse of reality. There are only small bite-size chunks of reality here. From the first pages onward, Cleave leans on the road to Wackadoo and we've willingly clicked on our seatbelts. Ya gonna need it so as not to jump out at the first stop light. My engine light started flashing 4 Stars in the beginning and then dwindled down to a definite 3 and hovered at 2. But I had to give Cleave credit for creating one outlandish novel with a 4.
Cameron and Lisa Murdock are mystery/thriller writers. They know their craft well and boast about getting away with the perfect crime during interviews. But then, boasting is one thing and real is real. It will eventually take root in their lives up close and personal.
The Murdocks have a seven year old son named Zach. Zach is a typical seven year old in many ways and is highly atypical in others. Although previously tested for the Autism Spectrum, his outbursts of anger and obsessive behavior are a challenge for his parents and teachers.
On an outing with his father at a local fair, Zach disappears from sight. Cameron causes an uproar with the other parents and children in his mad dash to find Zach. Zach is eventually found safe, but the aftermath has marked Cameron.
Zach threatens to run away from home at bedtime. Cameron laughs and doesn't take Zach seriously as he's done this time and time again. When morning comes, Zach is nowhere to be found. And as readers, we're locked in.
Now here's where we're approaching the town of Wackadoo. The police are called in and immediately start to accuse the parents of replicating a crime from one of their books. No definitive proof, just speculation. And the crowds start to form in front of their home. And Cameron, not ever one to keep things under control, starts to unravel.
It's this unraveling that comprises the rest of the book. I was so into this storyline and then became angry when it veered off the tracks into ridiculous scenarios. Paul Cleave was in a free-fall as we tried to reach solid ground time and time again.
But here's the kicker: If you keep your Wackadoo goggles and headset on, you'll just keep pace until the very end. This road only goes forward.....and you've invested yourself to the point that you'll ride it out. You've got to know how Cleave is going to tie all those loose drifting balloons together at the end. And he does. And we do. And we keep hearing those runaway marbles whirling around inside our heads. Pack a snack and stay well-hydrated. Whoa!
Let's visit a while with this one.
The Quiet People by Paul Cleave is a most exasperating read. It presses you into the peaks and valleys of trying to keep your finger on the pulse of reality. There are only small bite-size chunks of reality here. From the first pages onward, Cleave leans on the road to Wackadoo and we've willingly clicked on our seatbelts. Ya gonna need it so as not to jump out at the first stop light. My engine light started flashing 4 Stars in the beginning and then dwindled down to a definite 3 and hovered at 2. But I had to give Cleave credit for creating one outlandish novel with a 4.
Cameron and Lisa Murdock are mystery/thriller writers. They know their craft well and boast about getting away with the perfect crime during interviews. But then, boasting is one thing and real is real. It will eventually take root in their lives up close and personal.
The Murdocks have a seven year old son named Zach. Zach is a typical seven year old in many ways and is highly atypical in others. Although previously tested for the Autism Spectrum, his outbursts of anger and obsessive behavior are a challenge for his parents and teachers.
On an outing with his father at a local fair, Zach disappears from sight. Cameron causes an uproar with the other parents and children in his mad dash to find Zach. Zach is eventually found safe, but the aftermath has marked Cameron.
Zach threatens to run away from home at bedtime. Cameron laughs and doesn't take Zach seriously as he's done this time and time again. When morning comes, Zach is nowhere to be found. And as readers, we're locked in.
Now here's where we're approaching the town of Wackadoo. The police are called in and immediately start to accuse the parents of replicating a crime from one of their books. No definitive proof, just speculation. And the crowds start to form in front of their home. And Cameron, not ever one to keep things under control, starts to unravel.
It's this unraveling that comprises the rest of the book. I was so into this storyline and then became angry when it veered off the tracks into ridiculous scenarios. Paul Cleave was in a free-fall as we tried to reach solid ground time and time again.
But here's the kicker: If you keep your Wackadoo goggles and headset on, you'll just keep pace until the very end. This road only goes forward.....and you've invested yourself to the point that you'll ride it out. You've got to know how Cleave is going to tie all those loose drifting balloons together at the end. And he does. And we do. And we keep hearing those runaway marbles whirling around inside our heads. Pack a snack and stay well-hydrated. Whoa!
December 27, 2022
3.5 rounded up!
I finally found time for this title, which has been on my backlist for too long-and I toggled between the AUDIBLE (which was edited better) and a longer version of a written copy-and I had some conflicting feelings about the story.
Cameron and Lisa Murdoch are a crime writing duo with a string of successful novels. While on promotional tours, they often joke with their audience, that nobody would know how to get away with murder better than they would. The jokes they made may come back to haunt them.
Zach is their seven year old son. Doctors haven’t been able to agree about whether or not he is “on the spectrum” but they do agree that his behavior is “challenging”. In fact, his parents have coined his episodes as “Crazy Zach Moods”-CZM for short. It often takes a concerted effort to diffuse one.
One night, after threatening to run away, Zach disappears.
Detective Inspector Rebecca Kent and her NEW partner, DI Ben Thompson are assigned the case and Thompson begins to suspect “foul play”.
The story unfolds alternately through the POVS of Cameron Murdoch (and his nagging subconscious who he calls “Mr. What If”) and that of Detective Kent.
First-I think the prologue should have been edited out of the book as it takes away A LOT of the suspense although things are not completely straight forward in the way the narrative plays out. You can skip it, or even wait till the 50% point (when the car chase is revisited) and read it then.
For the first 50%, I was immersed in the narrative, as we follow the leads with Kent and Thompson. The anguish of the Murdochs is palpable, and the way the Press and the community treat the grieving family, is heartbreaking, and unfortunately very realistic in todays world.
At 50%, the book pivots, as Cameron’s frustration mounts and he snaps-and now we have him taking matters into his own hands-and going further than what is credible. This always feels OTT, and dragged on too long for my taste.
The ending did have some surprising TWISTS, but I would have preferred a different culprit(s).
The author, in his acknowledgement, shares that he changed the ending prior to publication. I wonder if the original one he wrote, was the one I would have bought into more easily?
5 stars for the first half but 3 stars for the second half…🫤
Paul Cleave is an internationally bestselling author who currently divides his time between his home city of Christchurch, New Zealand, where all of his novels are set, and Europe where none of his novels are set.
I’m glad his work is finding its way to the U.S. market now.
I finally found time for this title, which has been on my backlist for too long-and I toggled between the AUDIBLE (which was edited better) and a longer version of a written copy-and I had some conflicting feelings about the story.
Cameron and Lisa Murdoch are a crime writing duo with a string of successful novels. While on promotional tours, they often joke with their audience, that nobody would know how to get away with murder better than they would. The jokes they made may come back to haunt them.
Zach is their seven year old son. Doctors haven’t been able to agree about whether or not he is “on the spectrum” but they do agree that his behavior is “challenging”. In fact, his parents have coined his episodes as “Crazy Zach Moods”-CZM for short. It often takes a concerted effort to diffuse one.
One night, after threatening to run away, Zach disappears.
Detective Inspector Rebecca Kent and her NEW partner, DI Ben Thompson are assigned the case and Thompson begins to suspect “foul play”.
The story unfolds alternately through the POVS of Cameron Murdoch (and his nagging subconscious who he calls “Mr. What If”) and that of Detective Kent.
First-I think the prologue should have been edited out of the book as it takes away A LOT of the suspense although things are not completely straight forward in the way the narrative plays out. You can skip it, or even wait till the 50% point (when the car chase is revisited) and read it then.
For the first 50%, I was immersed in the narrative, as we follow the leads with Kent and Thompson. The anguish of the Murdochs is palpable, and the way the Press and the community treat the grieving family, is heartbreaking, and unfortunately very realistic in todays world.
At 50%, the book pivots, as Cameron’s frustration mounts and he snaps-and now we have him taking matters into his own hands-and going further than what is credible. This always feels OTT, and dragged on too long for my taste.
The ending did have some surprising TWISTS, but I would have preferred a different culprit(s).
The author, in his acknowledgement, shares that he changed the ending prior to publication. I wonder if the original one he wrote, was the one I would have bought into more easily?
5 stars for the first half but 3 stars for the second half…🫤
Paul Cleave is an internationally bestselling author who currently divides his time between his home city of Christchurch, New Zealand, where all of his novels are set, and Europe where none of his novels are set.
I’m glad his work is finding its way to the U.S. market now.
December 21, 2022
New Zealand crime author Paul Cleave writes a fast paced, intensely dark and gripping psychological thriller, set in Christchurch. Married couple Cameron and Lisa Murdoch are successful crime writers with a difficult and challenging 7 year old son, Zach. They have been on the book festival circuit for years, cracking jokes that no one knows how to get away with crime and murder like they do. After all, they write about it for a living, these comments are set to haunt them when son Zach goes missing, apparently running away. They have the police wondering, DI Rebecca Kent and Detective Ben Thompson, their suspicions forming a strong thread that has them focusing on the parents. Have the Murdochs committed the perfect crime?
The narrative is primarily related from the perspective of Cameron, whose life begins to unravel terrifyingly beyond his control, he allows himself to be needled by controversial journalist Dallas Lockwood at a press conference, despite being coached by the police on how to handle it. The police investigation is leaking like crazy, social media is pointing the finger at them, their books are getting 1 star reviews on book sites,and a hungry media raises the stakes as it turns its frenzied attention on the couple, piling on the pressure and stress. There are growing volatile, vigilante crowds protesting outside the Murdochs home, threatening to become violent and out of control, and Cameron's wife, Lisa, is increasing the distance between them. As the story progresses, Cameron's control on his emotions becomes fragile, he is a father with nothing left to lose, how far will he end up going?
Cleave is an expert at ramping up the suspense and tension in this tightly plotted piece of crime fiction, whilst simultaneously creating and developing characters that have the reader immersed in the novel. I particularly admired the ups and downs of the relationship between Cameron and Rebecca Kent, who feels the case spinning away from her. This will appeal to readers who love a well written, chilling, brilliant and disturbing psychological thriller with surprising twist after twist. A wonderful read.
The narrative is primarily related from the perspective of Cameron, whose life begins to unravel terrifyingly beyond his control, he allows himself to be needled by controversial journalist Dallas Lockwood at a press conference, despite being coached by the police on how to handle it. The police investigation is leaking like crazy, social media is pointing the finger at them, their books are getting 1 star reviews on book sites,and a hungry media raises the stakes as it turns its frenzied attention on the couple, piling on the pressure and stress. There are growing volatile, vigilante crowds protesting outside the Murdochs home, threatening to become violent and out of control, and Cameron's wife, Lisa, is increasing the distance between them. As the story progresses, Cameron's control on his emotions becomes fragile, he is a father with nothing left to lose, how far will he end up going?
Cleave is an expert at ramping up the suspense and tension in this tightly plotted piece of crime fiction, whilst simultaneously creating and developing characters that have the reader immersed in the novel. I particularly admired the ups and downs of the relationship between Cameron and Rebecca Kent, who feels the case spinning away from her. This will appeal to readers who love a well written, chilling, brilliant and disturbing psychological thriller with surprising twist after twist. A wonderful read.
June 22, 2021
EXCERPT: As Waverley and Woodley make their way through the house, Lisa and myself get to work phoning everybody. We have similar conversations - 'Hi, it's Cameron/Hi, it's Lisa, Zach has run away, have you seen him? Please let us know if you do. No, I'm sure he's fine. No, I'm sure it's just kids being kids. Yes, we'll let you know when he's back.' - We do this, and the police officers look into the nooks and crannies of our house, all the places a small child could hide, and I suspect all the places a small child could be hidden - I'm not oblivious to the fact that when small children go missing, it's the parents the police first suspect. The patrol car that escorted me earlier is now parked opposite the house. Original High Jumper and Original Wrestler are talking to the neighbours, all of whom are easy to find since they're outside watching what's going on. Another car pulls up and a man in a suit gets out, probably one of the detectives. He crosses the road and steps onto the yard and the angle changes so that I can no longer see him.
We keep making calls. To family. To teachers. To parents. To neighbours. I pace the lounge. I tap out phone numbers and try to sound calm. My body is a mess. Some organs are tightening and some organs are loosening and my brain is on fire. Lisa won't look at me. I'm the one who should have looked in on Zach last night. I'm the one who should have known he was going to run away. I'm the one who made light of it when he said he would.
That makes me responsible for all of this.
'And you're the one responsible if he never gets found.'
I tell Mr What If to shut up, and he does.
At least for now.
ABOUT 'THE QUIET PEOPLE': Cameron and Lisa Murdoch are successful crime-writers. They have been on the promotional circuit, joking that no-one knows how to get away with crime like they do. After all, they write about it for a living.So when their 7 year old son Zach goes missing, naturally the police and the public wonder if they have finally decided to prove what they have been saying all this time - are they trying to show how they can commit the perfect crime?
MY THOUGHTS: What a rollercoaster of a read! I cried in several places, and my jaw dropped in several others. My heart pounded, and my breath caught in my throat.
Paul Cleave has been firmly ensconced in my top five authors ever since I read his first book a number of years ago. He never fails to shock, appal and enthrall me.
I found it really easy to relate to this particular storyline. Who has a child who hasn't threatened to run away? Who has a child who hasn't actually done it? It is heart in the mouth stuff. And Cameron's reaction to Zach's threat was very similar to mine. This could have been my story, only I was lucky. My son came home.
The Quiet People is told from the points of view of Cameron, Zach's dad, and Detective Rebecca Kent and takes place over the period of one week. The dual points of view provide the reader with the viewpoints of both the police and the parents. Both points of view are entirely logical, plausible, possible, but are conflicting.
The characters are entirely plausible and realistic. Although some reactions of the characters are extreme, it is an extremely fraught situation. I really enjoyed the inclusion of 'Mr What If', that little voice that nags at us all. I call mine 'my mother'.
This is a book that I recommend you go into blind. The Quiet People is heartbreaking, shocking, and oh so good. Better than good. Absolutely excellent. Just read this.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#TheQuietPeople
I: @paul.cleave @upstart_press
T: @PaulCleave @upstartpressnz
#fivestarread #contemporaryfiction #crime #familydrama #mystery #suspense #thriller
THE AUTHOR: Paul Cleave is an internationally bestselling author who is currently dividing his time between his home city of Christchurch, New Zealand, where all of his novels are set, and Europe, where none of his novels are set. His work has been translated into fifteen languages. He has won the Ngaio Marsh award for best crime novel in New Zealand, he won the Saint-Maur book festival's crime novel of the year in France, has been shortlisted for the Edgar Award and the Barry Award in the US, and shortlisted for the Ned Kelly award in Australia. When he's not writing, he spends his time swearing on a golf course, swearing on a tennis court, or trying to add to his list of 25 countries where he's thrown his Frisbee.
DISCLOSURE: I borrowed my copy of The Quiet People, written by Paul Cleave, and published by Upstart Press, from Waitomo District Library because I couldn't wait to read the copy I have on order from my local bookstore. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review is also published on Twitter, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
We keep making calls. To family. To teachers. To parents. To neighbours. I pace the lounge. I tap out phone numbers and try to sound calm. My body is a mess. Some organs are tightening and some organs are loosening and my brain is on fire. Lisa won't look at me. I'm the one who should have looked in on Zach last night. I'm the one who should have known he was going to run away. I'm the one who made light of it when he said he would.
That makes me responsible for all of this.
'And you're the one responsible if he never gets found.'
I tell Mr What If to shut up, and he does.
At least for now.
ABOUT 'THE QUIET PEOPLE': Cameron and Lisa Murdoch are successful crime-writers. They have been on the promotional circuit, joking that no-one knows how to get away with crime like they do. After all, they write about it for a living.So when their 7 year old son Zach goes missing, naturally the police and the public wonder if they have finally decided to prove what they have been saying all this time - are they trying to show how they can commit the perfect crime?
MY THOUGHTS: What a rollercoaster of a read! I cried in several places, and my jaw dropped in several others. My heart pounded, and my breath caught in my throat.
Paul Cleave has been firmly ensconced in my top five authors ever since I read his first book a number of years ago. He never fails to shock, appal and enthrall me.
I found it really easy to relate to this particular storyline. Who has a child who hasn't threatened to run away? Who has a child who hasn't actually done it? It is heart in the mouth stuff. And Cameron's reaction to Zach's threat was very similar to mine. This could have been my story, only I was lucky. My son came home.
The Quiet People is told from the points of view of Cameron, Zach's dad, and Detective Rebecca Kent and takes place over the period of one week. The dual points of view provide the reader with the viewpoints of both the police and the parents. Both points of view are entirely logical, plausible, possible, but are conflicting.
The characters are entirely plausible and realistic. Although some reactions of the characters are extreme, it is an extremely fraught situation. I really enjoyed the inclusion of 'Mr What If', that little voice that nags at us all. I call mine 'my mother'.
This is a book that I recommend you go into blind. The Quiet People is heartbreaking, shocking, and oh so good. Better than good. Absolutely excellent. Just read this.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#TheQuietPeople
I: @paul.cleave @upstart_press
T: @PaulCleave @upstartpressnz
#fivestarread #contemporaryfiction #crime #familydrama #mystery #suspense #thriller
THE AUTHOR: Paul Cleave is an internationally bestselling author who is currently dividing his time between his home city of Christchurch, New Zealand, where all of his novels are set, and Europe, where none of his novels are set. His work has been translated into fifteen languages. He has won the Ngaio Marsh award for best crime novel in New Zealand, he won the Saint-Maur book festival's crime novel of the year in France, has been shortlisted for the Edgar Award and the Barry Award in the US, and shortlisted for the Ned Kelly award in Australia. When he's not writing, he spends his time swearing on a golf course, swearing on a tennis court, or trying to add to his list of 25 countries where he's thrown his Frisbee.
DISCLOSURE: I borrowed my copy of The Quiet People, written by Paul Cleave, and published by Upstart Press, from Waitomo District Library because I couldn't wait to read the copy I have on order from my local bookstore. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review is also published on Twitter, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
December 28, 2022
4.5 Stars Paul Cleave writes dark, twisted, and outrageous thrillers set in Christchurch, New Zealand. I was highly entertained by the dark, menacing atmosphere revolving around a couple, Cameron and Lisa Murdoch, who write best-selling crime novels. They tour widely to publicize their books and make joking references about how their success makes them experts on how to commit the perfect crime. Will these jokes, meant to entertain their book audiences, come back to haunt them? Several years ago, I read two of his early novels and found them gruesome, disturbing and filled with morbid, dark humour. I noted that laughing while reading such ghastly content made me feel like a bad person.
This book contains high-octane explosive content with shocks and touches of sardonic humour. There is hilarity in the downward path of a fictional person having a terrible day whose terrible luck continues to get much worse.
Cameron Murdoch has taken his son, Zach, to a fair, and that is when his troubles begin. Zach is seven years old and hard to handle. He tested negative for autism but is obsessive with severe anger outbursts and tantrums. His parents love him dearly despite his behaviour. Cameron loses track of Zach, last seen playing in the bouncy castle. He rushes in, looking for his now missing son, and in his frenzy, there are misunderstandings with other parents. Cameron's desperate actions in the castle were misinterpreted and caused complaints about him. It is with relief that Zach is found, but he has a temper tantrum on the way home that is caught on film.
While putting the petulant Zach to bed, the boy states he plans to run away. The following day he is gone. Detectives Rebecca Kent and Ben Thompson are on the case and are wondering if the Murdochs have committed an unsolvable crime. An angry mother blames Cameron for causing her little girl to break her shoulder when she fell off the wobbly castle. A father who witnessed Cameron grabbing his son's arm when asking if he saw the missing Zach is accusing the innocent Cameron of being a child molester. His wife, Lisa, is angry that he didn't prevent the boy from going out, although he had often threatened to run away.
Now his parents are suspected of murdering Zach, spurred on by an obnoxious reporter. Angry crowds gather outside the Murdoch's home demanding justice for Zach and the girl injured in the bouncy castle. Detective Thompson decides to enhance his reputation by arresting Cameron for the murder of Zach. He leads him through the unruly mob. This ends in a disaster. Cameron's father-in-law tells him he is no longer welcome in their home. Bookstores are flooded with 1 Star reviews for the books by the now-hated couple. Where is Lisa in all this?
Searchers and police dogs are unable to find a trace of Zach. It is concluded that he was taken by a known pedophile and is now dead. Cameron is on a wild mission to get revenge for those most responsible for his family troubles, such as a local child molester and a reporter who has stirred up the protesters. Cameron is becoming more unhinged with grief and anger. Everything he attempts makes his situation worse, and he is spinning madly out of control. Be prepared for an incredible rollercoaster of a plot. Can Cameron's life get turned around and settled on a more balanced level?
This book contains high-octane explosive content with shocks and touches of sardonic humour. There is hilarity in the downward path of a fictional person having a terrible day whose terrible luck continues to get much worse.
Cameron Murdoch has taken his son, Zach, to a fair, and that is when his troubles begin. Zach is seven years old and hard to handle. He tested negative for autism but is obsessive with severe anger outbursts and tantrums. His parents love him dearly despite his behaviour. Cameron loses track of Zach, last seen playing in the bouncy castle. He rushes in, looking for his now missing son, and in his frenzy, there are misunderstandings with other parents. Cameron's desperate actions in the castle were misinterpreted and caused complaints about him. It is with relief that Zach is found, but he has a temper tantrum on the way home that is caught on film.
While putting the petulant Zach to bed, the boy states he plans to run away. The following day he is gone. Detectives Rebecca Kent and Ben Thompson are on the case and are wondering if the Murdochs have committed an unsolvable crime. An angry mother blames Cameron for causing her little girl to break her shoulder when she fell off the wobbly castle. A father who witnessed Cameron grabbing his son's arm when asking if he saw the missing Zach is accusing the innocent Cameron of being a child molester. His wife, Lisa, is angry that he didn't prevent the boy from going out, although he had often threatened to run away.
Now his parents are suspected of murdering Zach, spurred on by an obnoxious reporter. Angry crowds gather outside the Murdoch's home demanding justice for Zach and the girl injured in the bouncy castle. Detective Thompson decides to enhance his reputation by arresting Cameron for the murder of Zach. He leads him through the unruly mob. This ends in a disaster. Cameron's father-in-law tells him he is no longer welcome in their home. Bookstores are flooded with 1 Star reviews for the books by the now-hated couple. Where is Lisa in all this?
Searchers and police dogs are unable to find a trace of Zach. It is concluded that he was taken by a known pedophile and is now dead. Cameron is on a wild mission to get revenge for those most responsible for his family troubles, such as a local child molester and a reporter who has stirred up the protesters. Cameron is becoming more unhinged with grief and anger. Everything he attempts makes his situation worse, and he is spinning madly out of control. Be prepared for an incredible rollercoaster of a plot. Can Cameron's life get turned around and settled on a more balanced level?
November 17, 2023
Yes! I’ve discovered a new author that I like. Cleave writes engagingly and there is an underlining humor there that I like, as it softens the seriousness of the plot. He gets it right, so I don’t need to say more:
October 17, 2022
This was a pretty thrilling descent into child abductions and supposedly perfect crimes. When husband and wife crime writing duo are shocked to find their son missing, all eyes turn to them and their previous claims of knowing how to get away with murder. There were a few stressful moments in this book and I had a few possible scenarios floating around in my head throughout. I didn't quite pick it so it was fun to see where Paul took us. A particular chilling moment was when one of the characters was explaining about the 'quiet people'. The neighbours you don't really notice and when the reporters and police interview them after a horrific crime they say 'they were such good polite neighbours and such quiet people that I would never suspect them of these terrible crimes'. Creepy. I also love that Paul is a kiwi writer and lots of his stories are set in Christchurch. He has won the Ngaio Marsh Award for crime fiction in the past. Definitely a New Zealand author worth reading if you like the crime/murder mystery genre.
CW: Child abduction and child abuse
CW: Child abduction and child abuse
November 19, 2021
THE QUIET PEOPLE is a chilling crime thriller by international bestselling author Paul Cleave, author of The Cleaner and Theodore Tate series. The novel is set in his home city of Christchurch, New Zealand, where most of his novels are set.
His Novels Include:
Trust No One (2015)
A Killer Harvest (2017)
Whatever It Takes (2019)
This novel is about a child who threatens to run away…when he doesn’t get his way…every parent’s nightmare!
Cameron and Lisa Murdoch are successful New Zealand crime writers, happily married with a year-old-son called Zach.
Cameron takes his son to the fair and while up in the “Bouncy Castle”, Cameron turns his back for a moment and Zach has disappeared. Cameron searches for his son frantically, and questions others nearby at the fair if they had seen his son. There was a misunderstanding which led to one child falling over and being injured. Zach was found a few minutes later waiting in line at another ride. Father and son quickly departed for home.
At home, Cameron explains everything that happened to his wife, Lisa. Zach is a difficult child, with tantrums and mood swings. When his parents try to explain that Zach shouldn’t have walked away from his dad…it resulted in an explosion of words. Zach threatened to run away from his home because then they wouldn’t even miss him, or have to tell him off again.
And then the next morning…Zach is missing…his bedroom window open.
This novel is told from the points of view of Cameron, Zach's dad, and Detective Rebecca Kent and takes place over the period of one week. This provides the reader with a comprehensive perspective of the situation.
So where is Zach? Has someone taken him?
The Quiet People is a well-written chilling thriller, with fast-paced plot and well-developed characters that come alive as the details unfold. This novel will keep you guessing until the end. Lots of red herrings to throw the reader in lots of directions until the final reveal.
Many thanks to the author, and The Book Club Reviewer Request Group (FB) for my digital copy. I really enjoyed it!
His Novels Include:
Trust No One (2015)
A Killer Harvest (2017)
Whatever It Takes (2019)
This novel is about a child who threatens to run away…when he doesn’t get his way…every parent’s nightmare!
Cameron and Lisa Murdoch are successful New Zealand crime writers, happily married with a year-old-son called Zach.
Cameron takes his son to the fair and while up in the “Bouncy Castle”, Cameron turns his back for a moment and Zach has disappeared. Cameron searches for his son frantically, and questions others nearby at the fair if they had seen his son. There was a misunderstanding which led to one child falling over and being injured. Zach was found a few minutes later waiting in line at another ride. Father and son quickly departed for home.
At home, Cameron explains everything that happened to his wife, Lisa. Zach is a difficult child, with tantrums and mood swings. When his parents try to explain that Zach shouldn’t have walked away from his dad…it resulted in an explosion of words. Zach threatened to run away from his home because then they wouldn’t even miss him, or have to tell him off again.
And then the next morning…Zach is missing…his bedroom window open.
This novel is told from the points of view of Cameron, Zach's dad, and Detective Rebecca Kent and takes place over the period of one week. This provides the reader with a comprehensive perspective of the situation.
So where is Zach? Has someone taken him?
The Quiet People is a well-written chilling thriller, with fast-paced plot and well-developed characters that come alive as the details unfold. This novel will keep you guessing until the end. Lots of red herrings to throw the reader in lots of directions until the final reveal.
Many thanks to the author, and The Book Club Reviewer Request Group (FB) for my digital copy. I really enjoyed it!
December 4, 2021
There were moments that almost managed to pull this book back from mediocrity, but the uninspiring writing and stunning ridiculousness of the plot tipped the balance into the red. The premise of a crime writing duo's son going missing was intriguing, but the characterisation was so blatantly determined to serve the plot that there was no room left for anything else. This meant that the plot had nowhere to go except into craziness. There was some cohesion obtained in the final moments, but the ends did not justify the means. Not one I'd recommend.
ARC via publisher
ARC via publisher
October 22, 2023
A very LOUD shoutout of praise to
author Paul Cleave for "THE QUIET PEOPLE".
When the 7-year-old son of two crime writers mysteriously disappears, many wonder if those crime writers have just committed the perfect crime.
The book sizzled and soared.
It was well-plotted, unputdownable, and unpredictable.
I lost track of the number of times I GOL (gasped out loud).
I listened to the audiobook read by Kris Dyer.
Although Kris Dyer did an outstanding job with the narration, the book would have benefited from two narrators since it unfolded from two POVs.
Many times, it was difficult to discern who was saying what.
Another LOUD shoutout to my GR friend Ceecee for the recommendation. (Thank you, Ceecee!)
This is my first Paul Cleave book and I will definitely be reading future books by this talented author.
5 enthusiastic stars!
author Paul Cleave for "THE QUIET PEOPLE".
When the 7-year-old son of two crime writers mysteriously disappears, many wonder if those crime writers have just committed the perfect crime.
The book sizzled and soared.
It was well-plotted, unputdownable, and unpredictable.
I lost track of the number of times I GOL (gasped out loud).
I listened to the audiobook read by Kris Dyer.
Although Kris Dyer did an outstanding job with the narration, the book would have benefited from two narrators since it unfolded from two POVs.
Many times, it was difficult to discern who was saying what.
Another LOUD shoutout to my GR friend Ceecee for the recommendation. (Thank you, Ceecee!)
This is my first Paul Cleave book and I will definitely be reading future books by this talented author.
5 enthusiastic stars!
December 20, 2021
I almost gave up reading this as I hated it so much. I thought it had to improve, it didn't.
The "Quiet People" are extraordinarily loud and self-indulgent. Cam & Lisa are crime writers. Their 7 year old goes missing...are they involved or not? We have the story told in alternating chapters, in the present tense, by Cam and the lead police detective.
I felt that this book was written for children, except the content was obviously adult. It felt less like crafting and more like an amateur construction from a formula to me. Each brief chapter was left as a cliffhanger, just too contrived and so obviously repeated to "make" the reader - read on! Cam has a pretend friend "Mr What if..." - really? There are police leaks, red herrings, a psychic, social media and an awful lot of "red mist" action - a right old circus with endless twists, unbelievable trails of psychotic behaviour.
This book, I find, is hugely popular, I can't imagine why
The "Quiet People" are extraordinarily loud and self-indulgent. Cam & Lisa are crime writers. Their 7 year old goes missing...are they involved or not? We have the story told in alternating chapters, in the present tense, by Cam and the lead police detective.
I felt that this book was written for children, except the content was obviously adult. It felt less like crafting and more like an amateur construction from a formula to me. Each brief chapter was left as a cliffhanger, just too contrived and so obviously repeated to "make" the reader - read on! Cam has a pretend friend "Mr What if..." - really? There are police leaks, red herrings, a psychic, social media and an awful lot of "red mist" action - a right old circus with endless twists, unbelievable trails of psychotic behaviour.
This book, I find, is hugely popular, I can't imagine why
April 13, 2023
2.5🌟: Enjoyed 60% of the book (3.5 stars) and then it went in a direction I wasn't expecting... Sometimes it's a good thing, but in this case I was disappointed! 😕
November 8, 2022
Wow! Superb. Razor Sharp. Hilarious. Unputdownable!
Oh, how I have missed my favorite New Zealand author, PAUL CLEAVE. His humor, cleverness, and brilliant crime writing are like no other! He is the best crime writer around and I always look forward to his books.
When they stopped carrying his books in the US, I was devastated. I recently learned THE QUIET PEOPLE was out in the US (not sure how I missed it); however, when seeing a blurb he had written for the upcoming Chris Gill's Boy Fallen (3/22/22) also from New Zealand (next on my list), I discovered Paul's paperback was coming out March 1st — THE QUIET PEOPLE.
Of course, I could not wait and immediately purchased the audiobook and e-book. Audio narrated by the fabulous Kris Dyer for an award-winning performance. (He is an excellent narrator).
OK, let's talk about this book—A CRACKERJACK! Can crime writers get away with MURDER?
Haven't you wondered about crime writers? They know how to set up the perfect murder, right? They know the ins and outs of cops and legalities. Are they capable of doing so? Motive?
Meet husband and wife authors: Cameron and Lisa Murdoch from Christchurch, New Zealand. They are bestselling crime thriller writers and have often joked about outsmarting the police. But tragedy hits close to home.
Zach, their seven-year-old son (who has some ADD issues and anger problems goes missing. He had been saying he was going to run away, like most kids when they do not get their way.
There happened to be events earlier in the day before the night Zach goes missing with Cameron. Are they connected? Is he being set up? These are quite hilarious but not so much for Cameron. They contact the police and soon the couple is of course the prime suspects.
The tension mounts and then another author/journalist from their past who is quite jealous of the Murdochs (once accused him of stealing a storyline) but unfounded, goes viral with allegations that fuel the fire with social media.
It appears Cameron was abusive, but strange how things are twisted. He loves his son, so where is Zach? Cameron imagines how he will be more patient when he gets his son back and places they will go and see.
However, is there something more sinister going on? What about the wife? Where is Zack and who took him. Is he dead or alive?
HIGHLY ENTERTAINING!
Cleave, as always knows how to create conflict and balance with his fantastic dry humor, which makes for a killer crime thriller. PS I was in Costco with my Apple Airpods and laughing out loud!
This is a must-read for Cleave fans and for fans of Linwood Barclay, Karin Slaughter, Kaira Rouda, and Michael Robotham (all favorites). He checks all the boxes of what I look for in a crime thriller. If you do not have humor, missing out.
If you have read the new debut, Chloe Cates Is Missing, you will see how the media treats celebrities and will note some similarities. (Chloe is a teen YouTube sensation with an obsessed mom and goes missing-both parents have major secrets). Of course, the parents are prime suspects. Whereas THE QUIET PEOPLE is about a young boy who goes missing with popular crime authors as parents. You will smile when you read both, the plot, and the whodunit.
I also enjoy how Paul weaves references from his past books into this one: Five Minutes Alone (a top book), and The Laughterhouse.
If you are new to Paul Cleave, you must read his backlist. He always lands on my top books of the year. An award-winning author,he is the BEST! My first book by Paul was Five Minutes Alone when it came out (Atria). Immediately, I grabbed his backlist and any future books.
Highly recommend Five Minutes Alone,Trust No One, A Killer Harvest, Joe Victim, The Laughterhouse, Blood Men, Cemetery Lake, The Killing Hour, The Cleaner, and I just finished Whatever it takes which is another good one (review coming). So happy to have his books back in the US and on audio!
If you have read an ARC of the upcoming May 24, 2022 Hannah Mary McKinnon's Never Coming Home (another devious whip-smart LOL thriller-just finished this weekend with upcoming Q&A in May) you will undoubtedly enjoy THE QUIET PEOPLE.
Publishers Weekly compares Cleave's novels to Patricia Highsmith and check out all the rave reviews from Lee Child, Linwood Barclay, and trade pubs—Trust me, believe the hype, and then some!
GREAT JOB, Paul. Readers, you do not want to miss this one!
Blog Review:
www.JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5/5 Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Pub Date: 01 March 2022 (paperback)
Publisher: Orenda Books
Oh, how I have missed my favorite New Zealand author, PAUL CLEAVE. His humor, cleverness, and brilliant crime writing are like no other! He is the best crime writer around and I always look forward to his books.
When they stopped carrying his books in the US, I was devastated. I recently learned THE QUIET PEOPLE was out in the US (not sure how I missed it); however, when seeing a blurb he had written for the upcoming Chris Gill's Boy Fallen (3/22/22) also from New Zealand (next on my list), I discovered Paul's paperback was coming out March 1st — THE QUIET PEOPLE.
Of course, I could not wait and immediately purchased the audiobook and e-book. Audio narrated by the fabulous Kris Dyer for an award-winning performance. (He is an excellent narrator).
OK, let's talk about this book—A CRACKERJACK! Can crime writers get away with MURDER?
Haven't you wondered about crime writers? They know how to set up the perfect murder, right? They know the ins and outs of cops and legalities. Are they capable of doing so? Motive?
Meet husband and wife authors: Cameron and Lisa Murdoch from Christchurch, New Zealand. They are bestselling crime thriller writers and have often joked about outsmarting the police. But tragedy hits close to home.
Zach, their seven-year-old son (who has some ADD issues and anger problems goes missing. He had been saying he was going to run away, like most kids when they do not get their way.
There happened to be events earlier in the day before the night Zach goes missing with Cameron. Are they connected? Is he being set up? These are quite hilarious but not so much for Cameron. They contact the police and soon the couple is of course the prime suspects.
The tension mounts and then another author/journalist from their past who is quite jealous of the Murdochs (once accused him of stealing a storyline) but unfounded, goes viral with allegations that fuel the fire with social media.
It appears Cameron was abusive, but strange how things are twisted. He loves his son, so where is Zach? Cameron imagines how he will be more patient when he gets his son back and places they will go and see.
However, is there something more sinister going on? What about the wife? Where is Zack and who took him. Is he dead or alive?
HIGHLY ENTERTAINING!
Cleave, as always knows how to create conflict and balance with his fantastic dry humor, which makes for a killer crime thriller. PS I was in Costco with my Apple Airpods and laughing out loud!
This is a must-read for Cleave fans and for fans of Linwood Barclay, Karin Slaughter, Kaira Rouda, and Michael Robotham (all favorites). He checks all the boxes of what I look for in a crime thriller. If you do not have humor, missing out.
If you have read the new debut, Chloe Cates Is Missing, you will see how the media treats celebrities and will note some similarities. (Chloe is a teen YouTube sensation with an obsessed mom and goes missing-both parents have major secrets). Of course, the parents are prime suspects. Whereas THE QUIET PEOPLE is about a young boy who goes missing with popular crime authors as parents. You will smile when you read both, the plot, and the whodunit.
I also enjoy how Paul weaves references from his past books into this one: Five Minutes Alone (a top book), and The Laughterhouse.
If you are new to Paul Cleave, you must read his backlist. He always lands on my top books of the year. An award-winning author,he is the BEST! My first book by Paul was Five Minutes Alone when it came out (Atria). Immediately, I grabbed his backlist and any future books.
Highly recommend Five Minutes Alone,Trust No One, A Killer Harvest, Joe Victim, The Laughterhouse, Blood Men, Cemetery Lake, The Killing Hour, The Cleaner, and I just finished Whatever it takes which is another good one (review coming). So happy to have his books back in the US and on audio!
If you have read an ARC of the upcoming May 24, 2022 Hannah Mary McKinnon's Never Coming Home (another devious whip-smart LOL thriller-just finished this weekend with upcoming Q&A in May) you will undoubtedly enjoy THE QUIET PEOPLE.
Publishers Weekly compares Cleave's novels to Patricia Highsmith and check out all the rave reviews from Lee Child, Linwood Barclay, and trade pubs—Trust me, believe the hype, and then some!
GREAT JOB, Paul. Readers, you do not want to miss this one!
Blog Review:
www.JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5/5 Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Pub Date: 01 March 2022 (paperback)
Publisher: Orenda Books
October 27, 2024
THE QUIET PEOPLE [2021] By Paul Cleave
My Review 4.0 Stars
I read this brilliant bestseller by New Zealand’s Paul Cleave earlier this week, and it lived up to all of its marketing hype and then some. I read his widely acclaimed thriller “The Pain Tourist” released in 2022 first, loved it, and was not surprised by it winning the Ngaio Marsh Awards.
Some readers may not be familiar with Paul Cleave (I had first learned about him from my subscription to CFL.com). All of Cleave’s novels are set in Christchurch, New Zealand. I mentioned the Ngaio Marsh award earlier, which he has been awarded for New Zealand crime fiction a total of three times. He won crime novel of the year in France (Saint-Maur book festival). Cleave has additionally been shortlisted for the Ned Kelly, Edgar, and Barry Awards which are more familiar to us.
I was always going to get around to reading “The Quiet People”, all it took was my running across it in my meanderings through the library on my tablet. I had already been convinced how terrific this author could write and twist your theories in a pretzel with his graduate degree in storytelling, creation of complex characters, and mastery of misdirection. Cleave boasts a laundry list of fans who are well known authors whose names we all know (like Mark Billingham, John Connolly, Tess Gerritson, Meg Gardiner, Michael Robotham, and Lee Child who lists him as an ‘automatic must-read’)
I have bored anyone who is reading this quite enough already, so I won’t dare select some of the gushing sentiments I could pluck from editorial reviews. My only motive is to pass along my own experience about how truly gifted this fellow is as a thriller writer who will have you coming back to read more.
“The Quiet People” to be frank is not a book I would have bought under usual circumstances. I rarely read serial killer thrillers or abduction novels that involve kidnapping children. It is not a “trigger” but rather I am not able to dive into the storyline and vicariously “go to pieces”. The author can change that dynamic for me, Jennifer Hillier or in this instance Paul Cleave.
The snippet of info about the book simply informs you that a married couple who make their living as successful authors of crime fiction have their seven-year-old boy Zach go missing. It is likely truer than not that if this scenario happened in real life that the police and the public would experience a high index of suspicion leveled at the parents. Cameron and Lisa Murdoch may also have added to the problem by frequently joking on their promotional tours how they could get by with the perfect murder.
There is a prologue that provides inside information on the abduction. I will not divulge the nature of the content, but it was significant, and I wondered for a long time why the author wrote that prologue. It was written to torque the tension you were already experiencing; I will tell you that much. The author uses Cameron Murdoch, the father, as the first-person narrator limited.
The first half of the book consisted of the reactions of the parents, the community, and the police investigation. The father’s pain and his frequent feelings of guilt, etc. weighed me down after a while and I did feel that the first half of this thriller let me down and dragged.
I was absolutely certain that the second half of the book would make up for the slow start and it would be comparable to dazzling fireworks breaking across a dark sky. Let me say that not all readers agreed with me about the first half feeling slow. But that said, there is NO question about the remainder of the book. You will feel like you have proverbially been wrung through a wringer, and if you are not expecting the unexpected continuously then your head will be done in again and again… and yes, again.
This is one of the most riveting and memorable dark thrillers I have read this entire year. People Magazine stated “Cleave’s whirligig plot mesmerizes”. And as Andy might say on the Andy Griffith show “Darned if it don’t”!
And yes, for anyone wondering this would have been a 5-Star Read but for my perceptions of the beginning stretch. This was an outstanding read.
LIKE RIDING A ROLLERCOASTER AND STILL GUESSING AT THE END
My Review 4.0 Stars
I read this brilliant bestseller by New Zealand’s Paul Cleave earlier this week, and it lived up to all of its marketing hype and then some. I read his widely acclaimed thriller “The Pain Tourist” released in 2022 first, loved it, and was not surprised by it winning the Ngaio Marsh Awards.
Some readers may not be familiar with Paul Cleave (I had first learned about him from my subscription to CFL.com). All of Cleave’s novels are set in Christchurch, New Zealand. I mentioned the Ngaio Marsh award earlier, which he has been awarded for New Zealand crime fiction a total of three times. He won crime novel of the year in France (Saint-Maur book festival). Cleave has additionally been shortlisted for the Ned Kelly, Edgar, and Barry Awards which are more familiar to us.
I was always going to get around to reading “The Quiet People”, all it took was my running across it in my meanderings through the library on my tablet. I had already been convinced how terrific this author could write and twist your theories in a pretzel with his graduate degree in storytelling, creation of complex characters, and mastery of misdirection. Cleave boasts a laundry list of fans who are well known authors whose names we all know (like Mark Billingham, John Connolly, Tess Gerritson, Meg Gardiner, Michael Robotham, and Lee Child who lists him as an ‘automatic must-read’)
I have bored anyone who is reading this quite enough already, so I won’t dare select some of the gushing sentiments I could pluck from editorial reviews. My only motive is to pass along my own experience about how truly gifted this fellow is as a thriller writer who will have you coming back to read more.
“The Quiet People” to be frank is not a book I would have bought under usual circumstances. I rarely read serial killer thrillers or abduction novels that involve kidnapping children. It is not a “trigger” but rather I am not able to dive into the storyline and vicariously “go to pieces”. The author can change that dynamic for me, Jennifer Hillier or in this instance Paul Cleave.
The snippet of info about the book simply informs you that a married couple who make their living as successful authors of crime fiction have their seven-year-old boy Zach go missing. It is likely truer than not that if this scenario happened in real life that the police and the public would experience a high index of suspicion leveled at the parents. Cameron and Lisa Murdoch may also have added to the problem by frequently joking on their promotional tours how they could get by with the perfect murder.
There is a prologue that provides inside information on the abduction. I will not divulge the nature of the content, but it was significant, and I wondered for a long time why the author wrote that prologue. It was written to torque the tension you were already experiencing; I will tell you that much. The author uses Cameron Murdoch, the father, as the first-person narrator limited.
The first half of the book consisted of the reactions of the parents, the community, and the police investigation. The father’s pain and his frequent feelings of guilt, etc. weighed me down after a while and I did feel that the first half of this thriller let me down and dragged.
I was absolutely certain that the second half of the book would make up for the slow start and it would be comparable to dazzling fireworks breaking across a dark sky. Let me say that not all readers agreed with me about the first half feeling slow. But that said, there is NO question about the remainder of the book. You will feel like you have proverbially been wrung through a wringer, and if you are not expecting the unexpected continuously then your head will be done in again and again… and yes, again.
This is one of the most riveting and memorable dark thrillers I have read this entire year. People Magazine stated “Cleave’s whirligig plot mesmerizes”. And as Andy might say on the Andy Griffith show “Darned if it don’t”!
And yes, for anyone wondering this would have been a 5-Star Read but for my perceptions of the beginning stretch. This was an outstanding read.
LIKE RIDING A ROLLERCOASTER AND STILL GUESSING AT THE END
June 3, 2022
So, in The Quiet People we have a crime novelist writing a crime novel about two crime novelists who write crime novels. If that doesn’t get your head spinning just wait for what follows. A plot with more twists than a helter skelter, more turns than a merry-go-round and which will transport you into a dark hall of mirrors.
In their career as crime novelists the Murdochs have imagined all sorts of terrible things happening to other people but what if what’s happening to them is worse than anything they could have conjured up? After all, if you were going to commit the ‘perfect crime’, would you really choose your own child as the potential victim?
As the book progresses it builds up speed until it’s hurtling along like an express train, throwing its passengers (us readers) from side to side as it heads towards its unknown destination. But are Cameron and Lisa Murdoch driving the train or are they just passengers along with everyone else, powerless to determine what will happen next?
When everyone turns against you and suspects you of the worst crime possible, who can you rely on? Cameron, in particular, is about to find out and the answer may be more devastating than even he could have imagined. One piece of advice – probably best not to listen to Mr What If.
Incorporating elements such as press intrusion, betrayal, corruption, and the desire for revenge and retribution, The Quiet People exposes both the best and worst in people. It’s a terrific piece of crime writing and the epitome of a page-turner.
In their career as crime novelists the Murdochs have imagined all sorts of terrible things happening to other people but what if what’s happening to them is worse than anything they could have conjured up? After all, if you were going to commit the ‘perfect crime’, would you really choose your own child as the potential victim?
As the book progresses it builds up speed until it’s hurtling along like an express train, throwing its passengers (us readers) from side to side as it heads towards its unknown destination. But are Cameron and Lisa Murdoch driving the train or are they just passengers along with everyone else, powerless to determine what will happen next?
When everyone turns against you and suspects you of the worst crime possible, who can you rely on? Cameron, in particular, is about to find out and the answer may be more devastating than even he could have imagined. One piece of advice – probably best not to listen to Mr What If.
Incorporating elements such as press intrusion, betrayal, corruption, and the desire for revenge and retribution, The Quiet People exposes both the best and worst in people. It’s a terrific piece of crime writing and the epitome of a page-turner.
March 13, 2022
Audio - 4.25 Stars
Story - 4 Stars
Story - 4 Stars
October 21, 2024
Massive thanks to @emmareadscrime for this recommendation! This was my first read of his.
Two famous crime writers are known for their vicious murder plots. Cameron and Lisa are also married. Co-authoring all their books together.
One day they wake up and their seven year old son is missing. Who took Zach? Or is it a cover-up for the perfect crime???
THIS BOOK WAS FREAKING NUTS! Yes, midway it gets a little bit out there. Unbelievable, yes. Did I care? Absolutely freaking not! Twists and twists. This story had me holding my breath. So I immediately purchased three other books!
— I will mention there is a part towards the end that made my blood boil. I was fuming. This just didn’t work for me. However, everything else was phenomenal!
TW — child abduction, child death
Thank you so much, Emma for the suggestion!!
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Two famous crime writers are known for their vicious murder plots. Cameron and Lisa are also married. Co-authoring all their books together.
One day they wake up and their seven year old son is missing. Who took Zach? Or is it a cover-up for the perfect crime???
THIS BOOK WAS FREAKING NUTS! Yes, midway it gets a little bit out there. Unbelievable, yes. Did I care? Absolutely freaking not! Twists and twists. This story had me holding my breath. So I immediately purchased three other books!
— I will mention there is a part towards the end that made my blood boil. I was fuming. This just didn’t work for me. However, everything else was phenomenal!
TW — child abduction, child death
Thank you so much, Emma for the suggestion!!
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
June 17, 2023
"And it's crazy" she says "So crazy you're not going to believe it"
LOL Well, that was so far beyond ridiculous, I gave it an extra star. First half of the book is your standard child abduction story with the parents' lives spiralling out of control. Then, I think someone put something in the authors tea and he went full on bonkers. So many WTF moments I lost count. In fact, I was slightly disappointed by the lack of alien invasion and tap dancing polish rugby players during the stories conclusion.
Enjoy, but remove logic circuits first.
LOL Well, that was so far beyond ridiculous, I gave it an extra star. First half of the book is your standard child abduction story with the parents' lives spiralling out of control. Then, I think someone put something in the authors tea and he went full on bonkers. So many WTF moments I lost count. In fact, I was slightly disappointed by the lack of alien invasion and tap dancing polish rugby players during the stories conclusion.
Enjoy, but remove logic circuits first.
July 6, 2025
This one has been on my to-read list since July2022 and making it another candidate for my 2025 cleaning out the closet challenge. It’s a bit of a trope with the whole successful crime writers who claim they just may be the perfect ones who would be able to get away with the perfect crime. In this story, the crime would be of the disappearance of their autistic and challenging son, Zach. Ok, that just ratcheted up the creep factor.
The book summary is pretty vague and barely introduces the primary storyline of Zach having a meltdown at a fair and then threatening to run away. This is not unusual behavior for kids, whether they’re on the spectrum or not. Good grief, I couldn’t even begin to guess how many times I screamed at my parents that I was going to run away because of some ridiculously perceived infringement or transgression towards me or for some perceived dereliction of their parental duties. I started cracking up when Cameron started pointing out some very important details Zach would need to consider before running away. Lol, my parents did the same thing!
Anyway, there is another storyline of the police and mainly the key detective in the case of Zach’s disappearance, Kent, who falls for all the marketing nonsense that Cameron and Lisa spew when interviewing with tv talk shows about how they could pull off the perfect crime. Seriously, can a crime writer come up with a lot of ways of how to cover up a crime? Sure, at least the good ones. Regardless, the police go all in believing that Cameron and Lisa are trying to get away with the perfect crime and proceed with confirming the imbecile mentality of law enforcement that Cameron and Lisa also spew in their books and in interviews.
However, the problem with this one is that so many of the actions and behaviors of the characters, suspects, the public as well as the police are just so crazy stupid that the characters come off as absolute lunatics. I started laughing every time someone did something wildly idiotic and then tried to cover it up. LOL It’s deep in the second half that this wild and wacky story explodes into absolute nonsense, some of which I had seen coming pretty early in the story, the rest of it was just sooo out there!!!
The character development of Cameron and Kent along with a few other characters was pretty good and the pacing steady. The storyline and writing were, once again, so wild and crazy, Cleave deserves high mark for all that lunacy that actually led to a considerable amount of entertainment value. I’m looking at an overall rating of 4.3 that I’ll be rounding down to a 4star review.
The book summary is pretty vague and barely introduces the primary storyline of Zach having a meltdown at a fair and then threatening to run away. This is not unusual behavior for kids, whether they’re on the spectrum or not. Good grief, I couldn’t even begin to guess how many times I screamed at my parents that I was going to run away because of some ridiculously perceived infringement or transgression towards me or for some perceived dereliction of their parental duties. I started cracking up when Cameron started pointing out some very important details Zach would need to consider before running away. Lol, my parents did the same thing!
Anyway, there is another storyline of the police and mainly the key detective in the case of Zach’s disappearance, Kent, who falls for all the marketing nonsense that Cameron and Lisa spew when interviewing with tv talk shows about how they could pull off the perfect crime. Seriously, can a crime writer come up with a lot of ways of how to cover up a crime? Sure, at least the good ones. Regardless, the police go all in believing that Cameron and Lisa are trying to get away with the perfect crime and proceed with confirming the imbecile mentality of law enforcement that Cameron and Lisa also spew in their books and in interviews.
However, the problem with this one is that so many of the actions and behaviors of the characters, suspects, the public as well as the police are just so crazy stupid that the characters come off as absolute lunatics. I started laughing every time someone did something wildly idiotic and then tried to cover it up. LOL It’s deep in the second half that this wild and wacky story explodes into absolute nonsense, some of which I had seen coming pretty early in the story, the rest of it was just sooo out there!!!
The character development of Cameron and Kent along with a few other characters was pretty good and the pacing steady. The storyline and writing were, once again, so wild and crazy, Cleave deserves high mark for all that lunacy that actually led to a considerable amount of entertainment value. I’m looking at an overall rating of 4.3 that I’ll be rounding down to a 4star review.
April 12, 2024
3/3.5⭐️
September 15, 2021
Superb.
Can a crime writing couple get away with murder? Do they know more about covering their tracks than the police? This is the question behind Paul Cleave's The Quiet People.
What starts out as a slow burn, quickly ratchets up the tension and the twists, sending you spiralling down a hill of depravity and desperation.
As a mother of two children, I cannot imagine the hopeless heartbreak of having a child go missing. The unanswered questions of how, why, when. The personal remonstrations with oneself about 'where did I go wrong?'. But then to have the police suspect you of foul play? How unbearably brutal.
As with the other Cleave books I have read, this one isn't a straight forward 'whodunnit'. It is a clever amalgamation of insinuation and suggestion. The clues aren't so much 'red herrings' but more delicately placed leads which tie your imagination up in knots and slowly strangle you with the suspense of where you're being lead.
Do I recommend this book? Yes. It is a slow burn. The first half is slow, like a dripping tap, filling the sink. But the second half is the breach of a dam, leaving you no breath to breathe. My only advice is do not trust anyone.
Can a crime writing couple get away with murder? Do they know more about covering their tracks than the police? This is the question behind Paul Cleave's The Quiet People.
What starts out as a slow burn, quickly ratchets up the tension and the twists, sending you spiralling down a hill of depravity and desperation.
As a mother of two children, I cannot imagine the hopeless heartbreak of having a child go missing. The unanswered questions of how, why, when. The personal remonstrations with oneself about 'where did I go wrong?'. But then to have the police suspect you of foul play? How unbearably brutal.
As with the other Cleave books I have read, this one isn't a straight forward 'whodunnit'. It is a clever amalgamation of insinuation and suggestion. The clues aren't so much 'red herrings' but more delicately placed leads which tie your imagination up in knots and slowly strangle you with the suspense of where you're being lead.
Do I recommend this book? Yes. It is a slow burn. The first half is slow, like a dripping tap, filling the sink. But the second half is the breach of a dam, leaving you no breath to breathe. My only advice is do not trust anyone.
November 21, 2021
Cameron and Lisa are successful murderers .... they are best-selling authors worldwide. They often tell people that they've learned how to get away with the perfect crime.
It's all humorous ... until their 7-year-old son disappears out of his own bedroom one night. Raising the alarm, police find no clues. Who would have wanted to take Zach? How did they get into the house? How did they take the boy away without anyone hearing anything?
As days go by police and media start taking a closer look at the parents. Have they engineered the kidnapping in order to promote their latest book? Zach is a challenging child ... has he been eliminated because the parents would rather not have a child to interrupt their writing? Are they trying to show how they can commit the perfect crime?
It's a well-written page-turner with suspense starting on the very first page and maintaining the level of intensity until the conclusion, which is a real nail-biter. Characters are solidly drawn and push the story line in twisted ways.
Many thanks to the author for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
It's all humorous ... until their 7-year-old son disappears out of his own bedroom one night. Raising the alarm, police find no clues. Who would have wanted to take Zach? How did they get into the house? How did they take the boy away without anyone hearing anything?
As days go by police and media start taking a closer look at the parents. Have they engineered the kidnapping in order to promote their latest book? Zach is a challenging child ... has he been eliminated because the parents would rather not have a child to interrupt their writing? Are they trying to show how they can commit the perfect crime?
It's a well-written page-turner with suspense starting on the very first page and maintaining the level of intensity until the conclusion, which is a real nail-biter. Characters are solidly drawn and push the story line in twisted ways.
Many thanks to the author for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
November 13, 2021
Slow starting but ultimately satisfying thriller from Cleave about a young boy who goes missing from his room and the crime-writing duo parents who are suspected of having been involved in the disappearance. The first half is rather implausible with the public outrage against the parents being pretty over-the-top and not in line with the available evidence against them. Things eventually settle down and the book moves in a better direction with multiple twists that bring everything to a tense and bittersweet ending. Not my favorite Cleave but not a bad book, either. Worth a read despite the first-half issues. 3.5 stars.
December 3, 2021
I found this long and implausible, but my biggest problem with it was the levels of anger and violence displayed by the main character. About half the chapters were in the first person from his point of view and I disliked these. The chapters from the perspective of one of the police officers were much better. The whole book jarred on me for reasons I can't quite put my finger on - maybe I am uncomfortable with personal revenge.
September 27, 2022
Kinderspel gaat over het misdaadschrijverskoppel Cameron en Lisa die grappen dat zij wel met een misdaad kunnen wegkomen. Want ja, ze schrijven er. Tot als hun 7-jarige zoon Zach vermist wordt, want dan wordt het ineens wel menens en zijn zij uiteraard de hoofdverdachten. Heeft dit koppel nu effectief Zach ontvoert of niet?
Op zich is dit een erg spannende thriller als je ongeveer in het midden van het verhaal zit. De start is een beetje slapjes, maar dat wordt later wel goed gemaakt. Enkel is het tempo later wel heel snel in vergelijking met dat begin waardoor het precies twee losse stukken zijn. Het had op dat vlak iets meer complementair mogen zijn om een mooi verteltempo te hebben.
Het einde was alvast wel verrassend. De wendingen die het verhaal maakt zijn erg goed uitgewerkt en zorgen dan ook voor een spannend einde.
Het is eigenlijk moeilijk om een goede mening te vormen over dit boek omdat het mij persoonlijk niet omver blies, maar het bleef wel in mijn hoofd spoken. Zeker dat begin had anders mogen aangepakt worden naar mijn mening. Daarom besloot ik dit boek drie sterren te geven.
Op zich is dit een erg spannende thriller als je ongeveer in het midden van het verhaal zit. De start is een beetje slapjes, maar dat wordt later wel goed gemaakt. Enkel is het tempo later wel heel snel in vergelijking met dat begin waardoor het precies twee losse stukken zijn. Het had op dat vlak iets meer complementair mogen zijn om een mooi verteltempo te hebben.
Het einde was alvast wel verrassend. De wendingen die het verhaal maakt zijn erg goed uitgewerkt en zorgen dan ook voor een spannend einde.
Het is eigenlijk moeilijk om een goede mening te vormen over dit boek omdat het mij persoonlijk niet omver blies, maar het bleef wel in mijn hoofd spoken. Zeker dat begin had anders mogen aangepakt worden naar mijn mening. Daarom besloot ik dit boek drie sterren te geven.
April 25, 2022
Paul Cleave ist zurück mit einer neuen abgedrehten und spannenden Geschichte:
Wer könnte besser morden als ein Thriller-Schriftsteller? Eventuell ein Autorenpaar? Cameron und Lisa Murdoch sind so ein Paar und behaupten, sie könnten ein perfektes Verbrechen begehen. Als ihr Sohn verschwindet, scheint aus blutigen Geschichten Ernst zu werden. Die Polizei und die Öffentlichkeit stellt sich die Frage, haben die beiden ihre Andeutungen wahr gemacht oder was steckt hinter dem Verschwinden des Jungen ...
Paul Cleave gehört für mich zu den absoluten Top-Thriller Autoren, wie er in seinen diversen Christchurch Büchern bewiesen hat. Und auch Kellergrab steht dem ganzen in nichts nach. Auch hier haben wir wieder eine absolut spannende Geschichte, die die einen packt und bis zum Ende im Dunklen tappen lässt.
Der Focus der Geschichte liegt gar nicht so auf dem Verschwinden des Jungen, das ist nur der Auslöser. Vielmehr betrachten wir, wie die Verdächtigen, hier die Eltern, und die Öffentlichkeit sich verhalten und was Druck und Hilflosigkeit mit ihnen macht. Das Spannende an der Geschichte ist, dass man niemanden ausschließen, kann, dass, er etwas mit dem Verschwinden des Jungen zu tun hat. Stecken wirklich die Eltern dahinter oder doch jemand ganz anderes?
Der Schreibstil von Paul Cleave konnte mich von der ersten Seite direkt begeistern. Gekonnt legt er falsche Fährten aus und immer wieder kommt es zu unvorhersehbaren Wendungen und den Cleave typischen WTF Momenten, die einen total aus der Bahn werfen.
Mit Kellergrab setzt Paul Cleave seine Siegesserie fort, auch diesmal weiß er spannungstechnisch und erzählerisch zu überzeugen. Erst ganz am Ende zeigt sich, wie perfide und clever durchdacht die Story wirklich ist. Für mich ein absolutes Highlight, das ich nur empfehlen kann.
5 von 5 Sternen
Wer könnte besser morden als ein Thriller-Schriftsteller? Eventuell ein Autorenpaar? Cameron und Lisa Murdoch sind so ein Paar und behaupten, sie könnten ein perfektes Verbrechen begehen. Als ihr Sohn verschwindet, scheint aus blutigen Geschichten Ernst zu werden. Die Polizei und die Öffentlichkeit stellt sich die Frage, haben die beiden ihre Andeutungen wahr gemacht oder was steckt hinter dem Verschwinden des Jungen ...
Paul Cleave gehört für mich zu den absoluten Top-Thriller Autoren, wie er in seinen diversen Christchurch Büchern bewiesen hat. Und auch Kellergrab steht dem ganzen in nichts nach. Auch hier haben wir wieder eine absolut spannende Geschichte, die die einen packt und bis zum Ende im Dunklen tappen lässt.
Der Focus der Geschichte liegt gar nicht so auf dem Verschwinden des Jungen, das ist nur der Auslöser. Vielmehr betrachten wir, wie die Verdächtigen, hier die Eltern, und die Öffentlichkeit sich verhalten und was Druck und Hilflosigkeit mit ihnen macht. Das Spannende an der Geschichte ist, dass man niemanden ausschließen, kann, dass, er etwas mit dem Verschwinden des Jungen zu tun hat. Stecken wirklich die Eltern dahinter oder doch jemand ganz anderes?
Der Schreibstil von Paul Cleave konnte mich von der ersten Seite direkt begeistern. Gekonnt legt er falsche Fährten aus und immer wieder kommt es zu unvorhersehbaren Wendungen und den Cleave typischen WTF Momenten, die einen total aus der Bahn werfen.
Mit Kellergrab setzt Paul Cleave seine Siegesserie fort, auch diesmal weiß er spannungstechnisch und erzählerisch zu überzeugen. Erst ganz am Ende zeigt sich, wie perfide und clever durchdacht die Story wirklich ist. Für mich ein absolutes Highlight, das ich nur empfehlen kann.
5 von 5 Sternen
March 29, 2022
Cameron and Lisa Murdoch are successful New Zealand crime writers, happily married and topping bestseller lists worldwide. They have been on the promotional circuit for years, joking that no one knows how to get away with crime like they do. After all, they write about it for a living.
So when their challenging seven-year-old son Zach disappears, the police and the public naturally wonder if they have finally decided to prove what they have been saying all this time…
Are they trying to show how they can commit the perfect crime?
Electrifying, taut and immaculately plotted, The Quiet People is a chilling, tantalisingly twisted thriller that will keep you gripped and guessing to the last explosive page.
This is a masterpiece, hooked from the first page, I know a lot of reviews start like this but, I don't say it lightly I really loved this book!!, my first by the author, and I'm happy to say it's right up there top of my all-time greatest books!!. Read it in only 2 days, and stayed up late!! (good thing I'm retired, lol). An outstanding and original book.
I feel for Cameron, so many things happening to him, after a botched trip to the fair, Cameron's son Zach (a very difficult child at best) threatens to run away from home, Cameron thinks he's joking and suggests he packs a bag with food and some clothes.
The next morning, Zach can't be found anywhere, did he really leave home by himself or did someone take him?. And so every parent's nightmare begins...
It's a fast-paced/dark twisty thriller, you may think you can read the author's mind and read between the lines guess where the story is heading but, oh no you're so, so wrong believe you me!!. The ending is totally unexpected!!.
Very highly recommended, actually you HAVE you read it!!
So when their challenging seven-year-old son Zach disappears, the police and the public naturally wonder if they have finally decided to prove what they have been saying all this time…
Are they trying to show how they can commit the perfect crime?
Electrifying, taut and immaculately plotted, The Quiet People is a chilling, tantalisingly twisted thriller that will keep you gripped and guessing to the last explosive page.
This is a masterpiece, hooked from the first page, I know a lot of reviews start like this but, I don't say it lightly I really loved this book!!, my first by the author, and I'm happy to say it's right up there top of my all-time greatest books!!. Read it in only 2 days, and stayed up late!! (good thing I'm retired, lol). An outstanding and original book.
I feel for Cameron, so many things happening to him, after a botched trip to the fair, Cameron's son Zach (a very difficult child at best) threatens to run away from home, Cameron thinks he's joking and suggests he packs a bag with food and some clothes.
The next morning, Zach can't be found anywhere, did he really leave home by himself or did someone take him?. And so every parent's nightmare begins...
It's a fast-paced/dark twisty thriller, you may think you can read the author's mind and read between the lines guess where the story is heading but, oh no you're so, so wrong believe you me!!. The ending is totally unexpected!!.
Very highly recommended, actually you HAVE you read it!!
May 5, 2021
"Can crime writers get away with murder?" Well my exes think that I probably could since I read so many dark thrillers. 😏 But I definitely have wondered with all the research that's done if it's possible that a crime writer COULD get away with it... or maybe the research keeps them from actually committing a crime? Who knows! But I LOVE that this book touches on this.
Cameron and Lisa are a married writing duo whose child, Zach, goes missing. As usual, the parents are suspects and as the investigation moves forward, all eyes still seem to point to the parents. Uff. Y'all. The depiction of the mob mentality, how social media/news makes such an impact on innocence or guilt, high tension and tempers, NOT innocent until proven guilty - all of it. It is portrayed so realistically that it made my stomach turn. Though, putting in a pyramid of nuns and priests certainly will stick in my head for a while! 🤣
Just when I think I know what's going on, WHAM BAM, you are WRONG MA'AM! Well shit. But also YAY because I do love getting surprised and Cleave gives us so many red herrings I'm going to be eating fish for weeks. Even when I had some suspicions, I was wrong - I'd be a terrible cop/investigator it seems. We see this story through the father, Cameron, and let me tell you .... sometimes it was hard rooting for him but as the week started to pass, I truly felt for him. I even cheered for him at certain points and messaged Paul immediately because my heart was breaking with Cameron's.
This is my third Cleave book and they have all been 5 star reads for me. I have a fourth waiting for me on my shelf which I will definitely have to move up my TBR. All I can tell you, thriller lovers, is that if you haven't read a book by this author, you really need to.
Cameron and Lisa are a married writing duo whose child, Zach, goes missing. As usual, the parents are suspects and as the investigation moves forward, all eyes still seem to point to the parents. Uff. Y'all. The depiction of the mob mentality, how social media/news makes such an impact on innocence or guilt, high tension and tempers, NOT innocent until proven guilty - all of it. It is portrayed so realistically that it made my stomach turn. Though, putting in a pyramid of nuns and priests certainly will stick in my head for a while! 🤣
Just when I think I know what's going on, WHAM BAM, you are WRONG MA'AM! Well shit. But also YAY because I do love getting surprised and Cleave gives us so many red herrings I'm going to be eating fish for weeks. Even when I had some suspicions, I was wrong - I'd be a terrible cop/investigator it seems. We see this story through the father, Cameron, and let me tell you .... sometimes it was hard rooting for him but as the week started to pass, I truly felt for him. I even cheered for him at certain points and messaged Paul immediately because my heart was breaking with Cameron's.
This is my third Cleave book and they have all been 5 star reads for me. I have a fourth waiting for me on my shelf which I will definitely have to move up my TBR. All I can tell you, thriller lovers, is that if you haven't read a book by this author, you really need to.
July 25, 2022
There is no shortage of outlandish books in the crime ficton genre, but this book - The Quiet People - takes the cake. The book is not merely ridiculous, it is stunningly ridiculous (to quote another reader on here). There's nothing remotely realistic about the plot. The amont of "cringe" was too much for me to stomach. People behaving like characters out of a soap opera. A father wants to ask some kid if he's seen his own kid, and then the father of the other kid starts accusing him of MOLESTATION? What!?!? A kid goes missing, and everyone, including the POLICE, immeditaely jumps to the conclusion that the parents MUST be responsible because they are crime writers and they know how to "get away with murder". Again, what!?!? They even get arrested at one point with 0 evidence that they have done something wrong. Just a bunch of outlandish crazy conjectures. Fast forward to the end of the book, and we learn everything about the abduction: who did it in reality and why. At that point, I was so exasperated by the ridiculousness of the book that I started to skip whole paragraphs. The motive for the abduction? Brace yourself for something trully crazy. The person (or persons) responsible? You may want to hurl the book at the wall after finding out their identities. In short, the book was a mess. I recommend instead The Nowhere Child or the The Wife and the Widow by Australian author Christian White.
April 12, 2022
Das Cover macht schon recht neugierig . Eine unblutige Geschichte, die einen in den Bann zieht.
Eine Autorenpaar , welches zusammen erfolgreiche Thriller herausbringen. Bis sie eines Tages Opfer ihrer eigen Fiktiven Geschichten werden. Ihr Sohn wird entführt. Sehr schnell ist klar wer die Täter sind. Eine Hexenjagt ohne gleichen beginnt.
Paul Cleave nimmt uns mit auf eine spannende Reise. Haben die Eltern wirklich eine Entführung geplant und durchgezogen um den Verkauf ihrer Bücher hochzutreiben? Oder ist es doch anders als es aussieht.
In gewohnter Manier lässt Cleave uns teilhaben , was Eltern in solch Situationen wirklich durchmachen müssen und zu was Menschen fähig sind. .
Spannender Plot mit vielen Wendungen rundete dieses Vergnügen ab.
Absolute Leseempfehlung für alle , die Lust haben einen spannenden aber unblutigen Thriller zu lesen.
Eine Autorenpaar , welches zusammen erfolgreiche Thriller herausbringen. Bis sie eines Tages Opfer ihrer eigen Fiktiven Geschichten werden. Ihr Sohn wird entführt. Sehr schnell ist klar wer die Täter sind. Eine Hexenjagt ohne gleichen beginnt.
Paul Cleave nimmt uns mit auf eine spannende Reise. Haben die Eltern wirklich eine Entführung geplant und durchgezogen um den Verkauf ihrer Bücher hochzutreiben? Oder ist es doch anders als es aussieht.
In gewohnter Manier lässt Cleave uns teilhaben , was Eltern in solch Situationen wirklich durchmachen müssen und zu was Menschen fähig sind. .
Spannender Plot mit vielen Wendungen rundete dieses Vergnügen ab.
Absolute Leseempfehlung für alle , die Lust haben einen spannenden aber unblutigen Thriller zu lesen.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 600 reviews