Secret, Silent Screams

by Joan Lowery Nixon

Is Barry's death the latest tragedy in a string of suicides at Farrington Park High School? Or is it murder? Marti is sure her friend Barry didn't take his own life, but no one will believe her except Police Officer Prescott. But opening an investigation takes time, and Marti is determined to find her friend's killer soon. Because even now he could be planning his next crime....

Genres: Mystery, Young Adult, Thriller, Fiction, Teen, Childrens, Horror

192 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published June 1, 1988

About the author

Author of more than one hundred books, Joan Lowery Nixon is the only writer to have won four Edgar Allan Poe Awards for Juvenile Mysteries (and been nominated several other times) from the Mystery Writers of America. Creating contemporary teenage characters who have both a personal problem and a mystery to solve, Nixon captured the attention of legions of teenage readers since the publication of her first YA novel more than twenty years ago. In addition to mystery/suspense novels, she wrote nonfiction and fiction for children and middle graders, as well as several short stories. Nixon was the first person to write novels for teens about the orphan trains of the nineteenth century. She followed those with historical novels about Ellis Island and, more recently for younger readers, Colonial Williamsburg. Joan Lowery Nixon died on June 28, 2003—a great loss for all of us.

Reviews

[Camden Johnson · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

This story was a decent read but I felt as though it could have been better. I didn’t really care for the whole “mystery” as the book mostly contained the main character freaking out the whole time and no one takes her seriously. It is full of cliches and there wasn’t any great evidence to support our main character so it just felt random and kind of annoying. This book wasn’t terrible but I didn’t have as much fun with it as I thought I would.

[Carla Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marti is a fantastic main character, driven and willful and independent. I love the way she is so determined to discover the truth behind her best friend's death. Her budding friendship with Karen, the police officer doing her own investigation into the death, is wonderful, as is the way she grows to respect Karen as a competent officer.

[Courtney Gruenholz · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I get further into Nixon's works, I find each one gets better as the years roll on.

My first two were at the end of and beginning of the 1970s/1980s respectively. I was reminded a little of certain events in time that almost tied in with each theme.

Patty Hearst being kidnapped like Christina Lattimore but she was actually not. Christina was totally innocent.

Satanic Panic with Dungeons & Dragons and Ouija boards like in The Seance.

Secret, Silent Screams is from 1988 and deals with teen depression and suicide. A much more serious topic but bringing up how music can be a part of the problem which bands like Judas Priest and artists like Ozzy Osbourne endured as the scapegoats.

Long before school shootings but so eerily harsher in hindsight once 1999 rolled around...

Marti Lewis walks in the Farrington Park police station and she wants to talk to an officer. She finds Karen Prescott, early twenties who looks like she could be in high school, and after some urging she goes into her reason for being there.

Today her best friend Barry Logan was buried, Marti excused for the funeral, and she wants to find out the truth. Everyone thinks that Barry committed suicide but Marti knew him for so long that she believes he was murdered.

Gun shot to the right side of his head but Barry was left-handed. Found with a tape playing music of the band Flesh from their newest album, Sudden Death, yet Barry didn't listen to that heavy metal/hard rock.

Months earlier a teenage couple, Robin and Al, were on the outs and each committed suicide with the same music in their possession. Barry knew Al from the tennis team, they weren't friends, but he took it hard. That's what his parents said but Marti knows all of the seniors did...they were kids the same age.

Barry got early acceptance to A & M and he had big plans. Maybe in the future, Marti could even see herself and Barry maybe falling in love and getting married but now everyone thinks her best friend took his own life like a coward.

Karen says she will look into the case as much as she can but it has already been sealed and shut that it was a suicide...a copycat suicide. The local town preacher, Dr. Emery, is going to use Barry as an example of how the "devil's music" made such a promising young man change his course.

A doctor named Granberry is writing a book about teenage suicides and wants to use the town and its triple shot of tragedy as an example in his book. The high school guidance counselor has contacted him because Marti at an assembly to honor Barry announces to everyone that Barry was killed. The medically inclined author with his books sold wants to use Marti as the person in denial over the tragic death of someone close.

Marti's parents, her best friend Kim and Barry's closest buds, Tony and Charlie all think that Marti has gone crazy in her grief. Barry's parents and the well intentioned clergyman Dr. Emery believe they failed Barry in not noticing the signs before this happened.

Marti needs help from Officer Karen Prescott to help find out who killed her friend, to help clear Barry's name so that his parents won't be haunted for the rest of their lives.

That's not the only reason Marti is going to need the young policewoman on her side because Marti is correct. Someone did kill Barry and staged it to throw off suspicion because the person behind this...is not done yet.

Looking into Barry's death and the reason behind it just may be the opportunity the killer needs to help Marti into her own grave...

The tension is almost stifling in this book as we along with Marti try to sort out what happened to Barry and why. We get some pretty good suspects and a few red herrings but as Officer Prescott finds more information and Marti starts thinking...we get best suspect pinpointed.

The reveal and climax are not amazing but the ending is satisfying because we get exactly what is deserved and fought for by Marti in the book. She is probably the best heroine in any of the Joan Lowery Nixon books I have read so far.

She's determined and fiercely loyal yet so vulnerable in her grief and it keeps her from breaking down completely. You can relate to her if you have ever lost anyone and it doesn't matter how you did but if it was untimely and tragic...it's so palpable.

That's the A plot. The B plot with all of the blaming the media for teens committing suicide and using tragedy to push your agenda for a book is disgusting. As well-intentioned as it is to crusade for things you believe in, not having the facts or pointing fingers is just ludicrous to me.

I have actually known people who committed suicide. The reason for why they did so...I don't fully know. I do know that it had nothing to do with movies or TV or music so that is why I can't stomach that as an excuse.

A subject such as this might not be right for everyone to read but everything else is handled respectfully. I don't think I could say a book was so amazing talking about teen suicide but I don't want to be so hypocritical when I do like certain films that take a sort of black comedy approach at the topic (Heathers for example)

I don't know it might just be the adult me that feels that but I'm pretty sure middle school or even high school age me would say four out of five is a promising amount of stars to give this book.

Secret, Silent Screams...a metaphorically symbolic title and a high recommendation for anyone who has not read it yet.

[Rdlindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, just after finishing the Joan Lowery Nixon YA novel with the tastiest premise, The Other Side of Dark, but with an execution I felt was only so-so, I read one that was much stronger in the "execution" department. After the death of Marti's best friend, she stands (almost) completely alone in not buying into the idea that her friend's death was a suicide. I won't say much more about the plot specifically in order to avoid spoilers, but I will say that Nixon avoids that curse of many good-but-imperfect novels of having a great build-up with an average to disappointing ending. This one keeps your interest and has stronger, better-written characters than at least a couple of her other books I've read recently. Personally, I don't think I liked it quite as much as The Ghosts of Now, but it's probably just as good of a book. Props to her, too, for bringing in what was a very timely (in 1988) discussion of teen suicide-- including the hysteria involving blaming it on the lyrics of heavy metal bands-- and treating it in a very measured way. Worth a read; you may well devour it as quickly as I did, too. (This may have also had a bit to do with procrastination from taking care of things I have to do but don't want to do, too, but either way...!)

[Emily · Rating 1 out of 5]

Holy crap this book was frustrating. The main character spends 95% of the book screaming that her friend didn’t kill himself, yet we’re given zero reason to believe her, other than the whole left-handed thing - which any reasonable cop should’ve looked into, by the way. Instead of telling the cops about the phone calls, the grey car, and the hat on her bed, she just kept saying the same thing over and over and over and over. None of the characters had any depth to them. And the kicker was that she about gets killed, and her only reaction to her mom is “sure, I’ll do my homework!” Like..... what an annoying main character.

[cheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recently got this book from my library in school, and I was so interested in it after reading just a few pages. It made me sympathize Marti in a sort of way, because I would’ve felt the same way if the person I loved were to get accused of suicide. Nobody can ever let that feeling go, and I’m glad she didn’t give up on figuring out who did it. They also depicted the teenage life and experiences with teenagers very well. I loved every part of it, and I wish this book was more well known. (Though Marti did frustrate me a little, but it’s still a very good book.)

This book also got me into the author, and I’m sure to read more of the books from Joan.

[Yves Brunet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another young adult book whose title has absolutely nothing to do with the story. Having said that I did enjoy this book about matti who does ot believe that her friend Barry committed suicide. Everyone else, including his parents, seem to think that he did. Matti does not let go and somehow mnages to convince a police officer to believe in er quest for truth. I found this bok enjoyable.

[Akshita · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book and i am probably the only person who didn't realize who the murderer was until that part of the book

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a re-read of one of my favorite authors from when I was young. I thought the story was good and liked how Marti fought for the truth.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a favorite of mine when I was in 7th grade and it inspired many a research paper!

[Kim Roe · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this author in Jr High and remember loving her books and wanted to go back to see if they are as good as I remember. I see why I liked them!

[Jeppe Frederiksen · Rating 4 out of 5]

troede det var en gyser ud fra forsiden

[Arianna B · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was very good and very descriptive. It's very easy to be intrigued in the book.

[Orchid · Rating 5 out of 5]

review from my blog, The Haunting of Orchid Forsythia

First Sentence:

Marti Lewis shivered as she opened the door to the Farrington Park police station.

One of the times I know when a mystery/suspense writer has done something right is when I spend nearly the entire book (practically) holding my breath as the MC gets one step closer to the truth about what and why something happened, so Secret, Silent Screams definitely did things right because it was absolutely hard to put down.
Joan Lowery Nixon does a brilliant job of presenting and unfolding the mystery of Barry's death and the reason he died. I really liked how the facts and back story were presented slowly throughout the book so that as you read the picture of what happened slowly started to come together along with the role that each of the characters inadvertently played in his death.
While I did figure out pretty early on the truth of what happened, I had kinda hoped that I was wrong...because the truth turned out to be just so horribly creepy that it was quite shocking, but also well done (I want say anymore on this lest I give away the whole plot).
Even though the first impression of Marti that you get is one of her freaked out, and balling her eyes out as she tries to get the police to believe her when she says that Barry didn't kill himself, I think that in the long run she a very strong character. Why, because even though the no one believes her at all she refuses to give up and goes to some very dangerous extremes just to get people to listen. The other thing that makes her such a great character is the depth of emotion that she shows through out the entire book.
My favorite thing about Secret, Silent Screams was how the author, Joan Lowery Nixon, was able to convey such a sense of danger and suspense in such a short book. I pretty much spent the whole book with my breath held as Marti tried to unravel the mystery of Barry's death.

The only thing that I didn't really enjoy about Secret, Silent Screams was that it was just slightly dated when it came to the terminology and turn of phrases that the characters used. Regardless of that it was a highly enjoyable read.

Final Verdict: Secret, Silent Screams was a gripping read that I won't soon be forgetting.

Secret, Silent Screams earns 5 out of 5 pineapples.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book because my son asked me too. It's a good book. I think the subject matter is good for middle schoolers, and as a parent it gives you pause to think about how much you might be ignoring your child for your own life.

I'm glad my son's middle school allows such books into their library, and doesn't censor as much as I hear other public schools do.

[Shonna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Secret, Silent Screams is actually a lot better book once you read it then what it sounds like and what it tells about the book on the back. This book I wouldn't say is about suicide but when I got this book from the library I was told that it was about suicide. This book is really about, in my opinion; People believing that someone that they have found dead with a gun in his hand dead because he committed suicide. And one of his very close friends are trying to tell everyone that he didn't commit suicide and that someone had murdered him. And he gets a few clues and evidence and stuff like that to help prove that someone had murdered him and that it wasn't him that committed suicide on himself. And he talked to one of the officers and talked to her about it, trying to prove it to her and show her. The officer agrees to have a meeting with him, talk about it and check it out,and let him show her. The Officer also agrees to help him out even know the case has been closed. So pretty much throughout the whole book him and the officer are trying to figure everything and figure the truth, what really happened. Except for in the beginning and the end. In the beginning is where he was still alive and then one morning hes just found in his room dead with a gun in his hand, e.t.c.; In the end is where they figure out everything, the truth, what really happened. This book is actually a lot better than I thought. I think that the beginning is not as good but the beginning is getting into the really good part, the book. I don't really think that this book can really help others in situations when it comes to wanting to commit suicide or knowing that someone else that they know.

[anjali · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: Secret, Silent Screams

Author: Joan Lowery Nixon

Series: N/A

Rating: ★★★★★

Summary: Is Barry's death the latest tragedy in a string of suicides at Farrington Park High School? Or is it murder? Marti is sure her friend Barry didn't take his own life, but no one will believe her except Police Officer Prescott. But opening an investigation takes time, and Marti is determined to find her friend's killer soon. Because even now he could be planning his next crime...

Review: It's amazing how she can write so many stories and none of them have anything to do with the other. I love it.

Things I Loved: It was a whole different story now. This time it was a set-up suicide. But she still got that twist in there...

Things I Hated: N/A

[nidah05 (SleepDreamWrite) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This author is starting to become one of my favorite authors. Like the suspense in her writing and pace. Even if the ending I thought, while good, I was like, huh, thought there was going to be more there. Like that Marti kept with it and was looking into what happened to her friend Barry, if everyone thought the opposite, except for Karen, a cop, who helps Marti. Near the end however I was like, Marti why would you do that, do you not know what happens in scary movies? Anyway, pretty good quick suspenseful read.

[Kelley Matthews · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Secret,Silent,Sreams,"by Joan Lowery Nixon, tells how Marti trys to prove that her best friend, Barry, did not comite suicide. However, with a line of suicides in there school, it seems like Barry just fell under the influence. With only a detective on her side, Marti is going through a battle tryting to give her freind a good name. with Marti trying to prove that Barry was killed, the murderer is becoming more clear and seems to be coming after her.

[Bonita · Rating 5 out of 5]

I. Love. This. Book. I read it when I was in middle school and from the moment you start reading it you are immediately sucked in! You don't want to put it down until you know absolutely every single detail of what really happened. It's just SO good! I honestly don't know what else to say other than that THIS was the book that got me into reading in the first place! It will forever be my favorite book.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book will haunt me forever. It is a classic Joan Lowery Nixon. She makes you doubt things that happen on a fairly regular basis. Was it really suicide? Or are you just overthinking it? This was one of the creepiest books that I have EVER read. For this reason I highly recommend it. It shakes up how you think about things. Amazing. This is why I love Joan Lowery Nixon. She gives me goosebumps.

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is great for children who love mysteries. It is suspenseful and somewhat inspiring the way Marti stands up for what she believes, even when no one else believes it. This book also shows a strong friendship that lasts even after death. I believe this book would be appropriate for middle school children because of the content.

[Sarah Tilatitsky · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my FAVORITE BOOKS THAT I HAVE EVER READ! I was hanging on to every word. READ IT! It's really good, unless you are allergic to mysteries, which I doubt that you have any. Just read it, and you may just get addicted to Joan Lowery Nixon's books, which is a good thing. ☺

[Chandni · Rating 2 out of 5]

Horrible book, horrible plot. You would assume that at least one person would believe Marti, but nope. Tired of these girls just screaming down phones and not being rational when discussing things with people.

[Eliza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ohmygosh. This was actually my FIRST book I read in 7th grade. This was also the reason why I got into reading books. At first, it was the cover that lured me in, but wow, the story is just so amazing.

[Jonah Leyvas · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had mixed feelings about this book. Some parts were a little boring to me. Although the author did have suspenseful parts that kept me on the edge of my seat. Also, she was very descriptive in her word choice which made me almost feel apart of the murder mystery!

[Cassie Behm · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a really good one. The theme of it is a mystery and how you try to solve it. I really liked this book because it is a mystery book. I disliked it because it was so time really hard to read. I think that people with a taste of mystery and solving thing would really like this book.

[melissa hunter · Rating 2 out of 5]

Horrible spelling

The book was a good read but the spelling was horrible. On almost every Sinhalese there was an error in spelling . On some parts I had to guess what the author meant .

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book for a language arts project but it turned out to be very entertaining. I definetly reccomend if you are looking for a quick read.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best !! It starts with a bad beginning but a great ending