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Riley Spartz #3
Silencing Sam
IN THIS TOWN, GOSSIP KILLS . . .When a widely despised gossip columnist is found shot to death, Riley Spartz must secretly investigate a case in which she becomes the prime suspect. In the wake of the brutal murder, our heroine discovers that news and gossip have more in common than she ever imagined. Trouble begins when Riley publicly clashes with newspaper gossip writer Sam Pierce, throwing a drink in his face after he implies in his popular column that she cheated on her husband. When clues to the homicide lead to her, Riley is charged with the crime. The police seem unwilling to look any further for perpetrators, although numerous local news- makers have reason for revenge—even a motive for killing.
Meanwhile, competition in the Channel 3 newsroom is just as murderous. While Riley struggles to interest her boss in a story about rural wind farm bombings and dead bats, a new reporter spikes the station ratings with exclusive stories about the headless homicide of an unknown woman whose decapitated body is found in a city park. Maybe murder isn’t such a bad idea after all? Riley must fight to stay out of jail, ahead in the ratings, and even alive in a killer showdown not fit for television audiences.
432 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 26, 2010
13 people are currently reading
395 people want to read
About the author
Julie Kramer
22 books209 followersJulie Kramer has moved from journalist to novelist. She writes a mystery series set in the desperate world of television news—a world she knows well from her career working as a freelance news producer for NBC and CBS, as well as running the acclaimed WCCO-TV I-Team in Minneapolis.
Her thrillers, STALKING SUSAN, MISSING MARK, SILENCING SAM, KILLING KATE, SHUNNING SARAH and soon to come - DELIVERING DEATH (January 7) - take readers inside how newsrooms make decisions amid chaos. She's won the Minnesota Book Award and the RT Book Review's Best First Mystery. She has also been a finalist for the Anthony, Barry, Shamus, Mary Higgins Clark, Daphne du Maurier, and RT Best Amateur Sleuth Awards.
Julie grew up along the Minnesota-Iowa state line, fourth generation of a family who raised cattle and farmed corn for more than 130 years. Her favorite childhood days were spent waiting for the bookmobile to bring her another Phyllis A. Whitney novel. An avid reader, she tired of fictional TV reporters always being portrayed as obnoxious secondary characters who could be killed off whenever the plot started dragging, so her series features reporter Riley Spartz as heroine.
Julie lives with her family in White Bear Lake, MN.
Her thrillers, STALKING SUSAN, MISSING MARK, SILENCING SAM, KILLING KATE, SHUNNING SARAH and soon to come - DELIVERING DEATH (January 7) - take readers inside how newsrooms make decisions amid chaos. She's won the Minnesota Book Award and the RT Book Review's Best First Mystery. She has also been a finalist for the Anthony, Barry, Shamus, Mary Higgins Clark, Daphne du Maurier, and RT Best Amateur Sleuth Awards.
Julie grew up along the Minnesota-Iowa state line, fourth generation of a family who raised cattle and farmed corn for more than 130 years. Her favorite childhood days were spent waiting for the bookmobile to bring her another Phyllis A. Whitney novel. An avid reader, she tired of fictional TV reporters always being portrayed as obnoxious secondary characters who could be killed off whenever the plot started dragging, so her series features reporter Riley Spartz as heroine.
Julie lives with her family in White Bear Lake, MN.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews
March 27, 2011
This review applies to the audio version.
#3 Riley Spartz mystery set in the Twin Cities, MN. Riley, a TV reporter, is herself a suspect in the shooting death of a newspaper gossip columnist who had thrown some nasty tidbits about her in his column. They'd been seen arguing--she threw wine at him--and she had no alibi. To make matters worse, a new reporter from Texas was stealing all the good stories and annoying Riley to death with his condescending attitude, calling her "little lady" even after she'd requested that he stop.
Since she isn't allowed near the Sam Pierce case, Riley is determined to scoop Clay by solving the headless murder story. She also continues working on the story of someone sabotaging wind turbines on a wind farm to the south of the Twin Cities near where her parents live.
I'm going to be blunt and say that I was very disappointed with this book. I thoroughly enjoyed the first two books in the series--one read in print, the other listened to--but the reader for this book was horrible. I had to double check because I remember liking the reader for the last one, and sure enough, this was a different audio company that produced it and a different reader. Besides her narrative voice being somewhat annoying, the reader's dialogue voices--male and female--were almost enough alike to be interchangeable, except for Clay--the Texan--who had a decidedly fake accent. The timing was also off, with lots of inappropriately placed pauses. Not sure if it was the director of the piece or the reader, but I nearly stopped listening at one point. I kept on only because it's a relatively short book.
The story itself wasn't too bad, but it didn't capture my attention nearly as much as the first two books in the series did. There also seemed to be a lot of re-hashing of events in previous books and at times the narrative explaining various procedures with news production seemed more like a dry lecture than being woven in as part of the story. The local flavor was still there, and I did enjoy that familiarity, and I like the way the author picks an interesting topic to focus on (in this case, wind power) that I get to learn a little something about. I'm planning to continue reading the series, but I will definitely read the print version if the same reader is used next time.
#3 Riley Spartz mystery set in the Twin Cities, MN. Riley, a TV reporter, is herself a suspect in the shooting death of a newspaper gossip columnist who had thrown some nasty tidbits about her in his column. They'd been seen arguing--she threw wine at him--and she had no alibi. To make matters worse, a new reporter from Texas was stealing all the good stories and annoying Riley to death with his condescending attitude, calling her "little lady" even after she'd requested that he stop.
Since she isn't allowed near the Sam Pierce case, Riley is determined to scoop Clay by solving the headless murder story. She also continues working on the story of someone sabotaging wind turbines on a wind farm to the south of the Twin Cities near where her parents live.
I'm going to be blunt and say that I was very disappointed with this book. I thoroughly enjoyed the first two books in the series--one read in print, the other listened to--but the reader for this book was horrible. I had to double check because I remember liking the reader for the last one, and sure enough, this was a different audio company that produced it and a different reader. Besides her narrative voice being somewhat annoying, the reader's dialogue voices--male and female--were almost enough alike to be interchangeable, except for Clay--the Texan--who had a decidedly fake accent. The timing was also off, with lots of inappropriately placed pauses. Not sure if it was the director of the piece or the reader, but I nearly stopped listening at one point. I kept on only because it's a relatively short book.
The story itself wasn't too bad, but it didn't capture my attention nearly as much as the first two books in the series did. There also seemed to be a lot of re-hashing of events in previous books and at times the narrative explaining various procedures with news production seemed more like a dry lecture than being woven in as part of the story. The local flavor was still there, and I did enjoy that familiarity, and I like the way the author picks an interesting topic to focus on (in this case, wind power) that I get to learn a little something about. I'm planning to continue reading the series, but I will definitely read the print version if the same reader is used next time.
June 20, 2018
3.5 stars. I love all the Minnesota references but the story had almost too many storylines to keep everything straight
August 6, 2019
3.5 stars
another good one. Some intriguing mysteries w/the dead reporter & the wind power turbines.
And again, I did figure some of it out b/c it was sort of obvious but the writing was good enough to keep me interested & entertained.
I liked the inclusion of Riley’s parents as new characters in the story as they added some humor & warmth.
another good one. Some intriguing mysteries w/the dead reporter & the wind power turbines.
And again, I did figure some of it out b/c it was sort of obvious but the writing was good enough to keep me interested & entertained.
I liked the inclusion of Riley’s parents as new characters in the story as they added some humor & warmth.
May 2, 2016
I hate when an author inserts his/her political leanings in a novel. The story begins with a headless body found and the murder of the mean and unmerciful gossip columnist Sam Pierce! I was so excited. This was going to a fun mystery. Then...suddenly...the story shifts to wind turbines. I didn't like this story line at all. I felt it was an attempt at political correctness. It seemed preachy at times. (Not becoming dependent on foreign oil, innocent bats are being killed, the Muslim community is being blamed for turbine bombings, don't judge...blah blah blah).
The wind turbine story seemed to last forever. I forgot all about Sam and the headless body. If you can get through the turbine story the rest is a lot of fun! The investigation into Sam's demise and the headless body takes the stage in exciting and suspenseful form! You will keep guessing!
Also, there is a mysterious dine and dash villain, Riley does time in jail, she encounters a basketball player that wants to prove his manhood (the scene in Riley's garage is hilarious), she has a long distant romantic relationship, and she has new competition at work from a funny talkin' Texan.
The ending of Riley's many adventures is superb and was worth waiting for. I even had a little tear in my eye!
The first two in the series are better because there isn't as much going on, they are more focused, and I don't recall any political messages...
.
The wind turbine story seemed to last forever. I forgot all about Sam and the headless body. If you can get through the turbine story the rest is a lot of fun! The investigation into Sam's demise and the headless body takes the stage in exciting and suspenseful form! You will keep guessing!
Also, there is a mysterious dine and dash villain, Riley does time in jail, she encounters a basketball player that wants to prove his manhood (the scene in Riley's garage is hilarious), she has a long distant romantic relationship, and she has new competition at work from a funny talkin' Texan.
The ending of Riley's many adventures is superb and was worth waiting for. I even had a little tear in my eye!
The first two in the series are better because there isn't as much going on, they are more focused, and I don't recall any political messages...
.
February 23, 2011
After a disappointing second entry in the series, Julie Kramer gets back on track with the third Riley Spartz novel.
This time, Riley finds herself the target of a newspaper gossip columnist. After a verbal altercation in a bar ends with Riley throwing a glass of wine in his face, the columnist ends up dead and Riley's the prime suspect. Add in new competition at the station in the form of a uber-reporter Clay and Riley's assignment on a story about windmill farms coming under attack and you've got all the various plot threads that run through "Silencing Sam."
Of course, as with the previous two novels in the series, events from each storyline work together in the final denouncement. But at least this time, I wasn't able to easily guess who was the culprit behind the crimes and the stories all hang together better in the final final analysis. The only unsatisfying part is the relative ease of the resolution between Riley and her boyfriend. The hints dropped early in the story never pan out to much more than a red herring there.
While not exactly a mind-taxing mystery, "Silencing Sam" is still an enjoyable read with some nicely realized characters. Riley isn't likely to change much over the course of these books, but spending a few hours with her here isn't the worst thing in the world.
This time, Riley finds herself the target of a newspaper gossip columnist. After a verbal altercation in a bar ends with Riley throwing a glass of wine in his face, the columnist ends up dead and Riley's the prime suspect. Add in new competition at the station in the form of a uber-reporter Clay and Riley's assignment on a story about windmill farms coming under attack and you've got all the various plot threads that run through "Silencing Sam."
Of course, as with the previous two novels in the series, events from each storyline work together in the final denouncement. But at least this time, I wasn't able to easily guess who was the culprit behind the crimes and the stories all hang together better in the final final analysis. The only unsatisfying part is the relative ease of the resolution between Riley and her boyfriend. The hints dropped early in the story never pan out to much more than a red herring there.
While not exactly a mind-taxing mystery, "Silencing Sam" is still an enjoyable read with some nicely realized characters. Riley isn't likely to change much over the course of these books, but spending a few hours with her here isn't the worst thing in the world.
March 15, 2014
My least favorite book so far of the series. One of the main characters is someone from Texas and the author clearly has never even been close to Texas or meeting a Texan. Literally every time he talks he said a stupid "texasism" like "you have a better chance of scratching your nose with your elbow" or "more scared than the devil is of holy water". It just got annoying. Then you realize the character is supposed to be 25 and you don't believe it for a second. Really takes away from the story. Also, so far every book I've read has pretty much been exactly the same. The ending of this book was predictable and unbelievable.
April 4, 2013
3rd book in the Riley Spartz series. Seriously took me 2 days to finish. I picked up the audio cd's and listened every chance I had (even while working)...had the hardcover on hand too, finished it up tonight. Looking forward to reading more from this series!
October 27, 2025
Silencing Sam is the third book in the Riley Spartz series. Riley works in a news room and would like to be one of the lead reporters and she's on her way to be until Clay shows up. Now she's having to share the limelight and things go downhill when gossip columnist Sam is found dead. Riley is their prime suspect when police found out about her very public argument in which she threatens Sam. Riley must work to prove her innocence or else she could not only be out of a job but find herself behind bars for good.
This book was really good! I found Riley's character to be likeable and relatable. The banter between her and Clay was great and I loved how she stood up for herself. Even though Clay came off as condescending and treated her as beneath him she still didn't let that change who she was. Near the end of the book I definitely started putting the clues together and guessed who the killer could be. What I didn't expect was that they had committed multiple murders and didn't care who they had to murder to get what they wanted. I also loved that Riley's parents stood by her and supported her even when their lives were impacted. This was a good mystery/suspense with just a little bit of romance since Riley had a relationship that was definitely rocky. This book is clean with no spice though and definitely focused more on the mystery/suspense with the relationship more in the background to me. I would definitely check this out even if it does seem long it goes quickly.
This book was really good! I found Riley's character to be likeable and relatable. The banter between her and Clay was great and I loved how she stood up for herself. Even though Clay came off as condescending and treated her as beneath him she still didn't let that change who she was. Near the end of the book I definitely started putting the clues together and guessed who the killer could be. What I didn't expect was that they had committed multiple murders and didn't care who they had to murder to get what they wanted. I also loved that Riley's parents stood by her and supported her even when their lives were impacted. This was a good mystery/suspense with just a little bit of romance since Riley had a relationship that was definitely rocky. This book is clean with no spice though and definitely focused more on the mystery/suspense with the relationship more in the background to me. I would definitely check this out even if it does seem long it goes quickly.
June 11, 2018
This was my first of Julie Kramer's, Riley Spartz mysteries. First the positives. It was a fun, light, romp of a mystery. For a whodunit, this book walked that, sometimes not so fine line, between being too easy to figure and and impossible to solve. I thought the last hundred pages were excellent, with lots of suspense, which unfortunately is not often the case in a lot of novels.
My biggest problem was with the main character, Riley. Even though I found her easy to cheer, she at times was frustrating and disappointing as a character. Riley was often like a squirrel on crack, running this way and then that way in her investigations. It was like she never met a person who couldn't be the main suspect.
I liked this book enough that I will read another book of this series, probably the first, Stalking Susan. However, this book wasn't such a gran slam that I would commit to reading them all.
My biggest problem was with the main character, Riley. Even though I found her easy to cheer, she at times was frustrating and disappointing as a character. Riley was often like a squirrel on crack, running this way and then that way in her investigations. It was like she never met a person who couldn't be the main suspect.
I liked this book enough that I will read another book of this series, probably the first, Stalking Susan. However, this book wasn't such a gran slam that I would commit to reading them all.
September 24, 2018
Unfortunately, Silencing Sam didn't continue the promise of book Missing Mark. It took a while to get to the dead body and the police seemed like idiots. Not that I didn't understand their focus on Riley, it's just that she really isn't the murdering type. Sam Pierce is a gossip columnist and printed some terrible (ly accurate) things about Riley. She threw a drink on him. Is that really a good enough reason for murder? The sub-story, which was interesting, was on wind turbines and how bats are confused by them and end up getting killed. I appreciated the research on that. I figured out the murderer pretty quickly and was happy to see it all work out in the end but the story was slow to progress and I was able to put it down.
February 16, 2019
I've read several Julie Kramer books and have liked them all. I live in a suburb of Minneapolis, so I am familiar with many of the references to places and our culture, Dontcha know.
Beyond the familiarity-based comfort, Silencing Sam has an excellent storyline. Our hero Riley Spartz is a local TV news reporter who is struggling along with her station's declining popularity. She interacts poorly with a sleazy newspaper gossip columnist who ends up dead, (not that anyone really cares.) Riley ends up being charged with murder and from there the book takes off on a twisting tale that will keep your interest.
I really enjoyed the book and highly recommend it if you are into who-done-its.
Beyond the familiarity-based comfort, Silencing Sam has an excellent storyline. Our hero Riley Spartz is a local TV news reporter who is struggling along with her station's declining popularity. She interacts poorly with a sleazy newspaper gossip columnist who ends up dead, (not that anyone really cares.) Riley ends up being charged with murder and from there the book takes off on a twisting tale that will keep your interest.
I really enjoyed the book and highly recommend it if you are into who-done-its.
September 18, 2018
Pretty oh hum book, but nicely read.
Riley, a TV reporter, is threatened by a new comer to the station, Clay. A rival journalist, known for his scathing gossip column, writes some scandalous piece about Riley. In it, he suggests that she was already cheating on her husband with her current beau, months before her husband’s death.
Then, shortly after Riley has thrown a day ink in this reporter’s face, he is found shot to death. Riley is arrested, accused of his murder.
Riley and Clay, the new guy, have a not very interesting competition for top spot at the station. It’s all a bit silly.
Riley, a TV reporter, is threatened by a new comer to the station, Clay. A rival journalist, known for his scathing gossip column, writes some scandalous piece about Riley. In it, he suggests that she was already cheating on her husband with her current beau, months before her husband’s death.
Then, shortly after Riley has thrown a day ink in this reporter’s face, he is found shot to death. Riley is arrested, accused of his murder.
Riley and Clay, the new guy, have a not very interesting competition for top spot at the station. It’s all a bit silly.
August 12, 2024
A great book. I love all of Julie Kramers books.
I listened to the audiobook and the description said who the killer is!! WHY? WHY? WHY?!?!
Why on earth would you write a murder mystery and put the killer in the description!?
When I first read it, I thought it was weird but was sure it was a red herring. But the further I’d gone into the book and Riley still didn’t suspect the guy, I realized that he was indeed the killer. It ruined the book for me. She first begins to suspect him at the 90% mark.
I listened to the audiobook and the description said who the killer is!! WHY? WHY? WHY?!?!
Why on earth would you write a murder mystery and put the killer in the description!?
When I first read it, I thought it was weird but was sure it was a red herring. But the further I’d gone into the book and Riley still didn’t suspect the guy, I realized that he was indeed the killer. It ruined the book for me. She first begins to suspect him at the 90% mark.
July 9, 2025
Listened to this super fun formulaic who done it while picking black raspberries. Kept my mind off the thorns. Riley Sparks moved to Nakomis and did her usual side hustle when not reporting the channel 3 news. Solved the murder of a headless body found in Theodore worth park. Futures out who was vandalizing a wind farm. She is the Jessica Fletcher of the Twin Cities and I love her for that!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 8, 2018
Another hit!
Ms Kramer is fast becoming one of my top 5 authors! This story will keep you guessing until the end. Smartly written, Ms Kramer took me through my hometown with vivid details of the city. Her characters are very believable and this story does not disappoint!
Ms Kramer is fast becoming one of my top 5 authors! This story will keep you guessing until the end. Smartly written, Ms Kramer took me through my hometown with vivid details of the city. Her characters are very believable and this story does not disappoint!
December 19, 2018
Another fantastic book by Julie Kramer! Though I’m not sure if the narrator of the book is different then the previous books but there were voices and names that were different and took me a little while.. but I still love this series and I’ve already downloaded the next one!
March 17, 2019
Cute - a little predictable but then, these kinds of books always have a certain formula that they follow. I don't think it detracted from the story at all though, I still had fun reading it and watching the characters come to their own conclusions.
July 27, 2019
I really enjoy Ms. Kramer’s mysteries as they’re rather funny as well as well written. I would have given this one a higher rating if I hadn’t figured out who the perp was in the first 30 pages. There are an awful lot of red herrings in this, but everything wraps up nicely in the end.
August 1, 2024
I have enjoyed the Riley Spartz series and the fact that it is set here in Minneapolis. This particular mystery was a little disappointing. I thought the murderer was too easily discovered and found the storylines disjointed. Kristi & Abby Tabby
November 19, 2024
Another fun Julie Kramer read. I couldn't remember if I had read it before, but maybe not. If I did, I forgot who the killer was because I had guessed Rolf. Will read #4 sooner so I can remember the characters better.
April 4, 2018
Love the one liners!
April 1, 2019
I was genuinely surprised by how bad this book was, given that it was a staff pick at the library. Had to force myself to finish it, but it was pretty painful.
December 8, 2019
Entertaining and fun
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January 8, 2020good book to read while home sick
January 23, 2021
3.5 Enjoying this series
April 20, 2021
Number 3 in the series. It does not disappoint.
November 3, 2022
I really like Riley, and this series is really fun. I enjoyed!
October 4, 2023
A riveting look into TV news investigations.
May 21, 2024
I was very invested in this read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews