Customer Reviews

Conspiracy of Silence

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When Clare Prentice discovers that she's adopted, after the death of the woman she thought was her mother, she sets off in search of who she really is. Of course, as she begins to dig into her past, there seems to be a malevolent stranger who doesn't want her to find out the true story of what really happened to her mother 25 years ago.

This is a pretty standard adoption/amnesia-themed thriller. It's certainly not bad, but I probably won't remember it 6 months from now.

This book was too predictable. I knew very early how the plot was going to develop and, from the first time the character appeared, who the "bad one" was. I can't say more without including spoilers, but hey, it's a spoiler in itself.

Chicago reporter Clare Prentice is stunned to learn she is adopted when Dr. Craig calmly suggested after a physical she obtain medical information on her biological parents. Clare had thought Rose, who raised her was her biological mom. Now she knows her late adopted mom Rose hid the truth from her; her biological dad died before Clare was three. Her reaction to the disturbing news is to end her engagement to kindhearted Doug Kitridge.

She finds a high school ring amongst her late adoptive mother's stuff. With a need to know more, Claire heads to where the ring is from, Grand Rapids, Minnesota. While there she is assigned to interview reclusive novelist, Nate Hanssen, a resident who shuns publicity. Clare learns her birth mother was Lily Gundersen, who was murdered in Grand Rapids. Soon after her arrival someone stalks Clare who assumes her mom's killer wants his or her murderous secret kept quiet. Clare and Nate begin to act on their attraction to one another.

Outside of the interview occurring in Grand Rapids where the mysterious graduation ring comes from, CONSPIRACY OF SILENCE is a great suspense thriller. Clare uses her reporter skills to learn more about her mom's murder, but quickly learns nothing is quite like it seems and every one even the author she is falling in love with appears to have an agenda. With some nice twists along the way, readers will enjoy this exciting cozy with just the right amount of a romantic subplot to enhance the investigation.

Harriet Klausner

Over the years, writer Martha Powers has entertained readers with books bursting with her own unique creativity, wit, and style. Yet despite her years of experience and number of works she continues to compose with fresh excitement, keeping her loyal fans happy as well as winning over new ones. With the release of "Conspiracy of Silence" Powers just may have outdone even herself.

"Conspiracy of Silence" chronicles the harrowing journey of reporter Clare Prentice from the moment she learns that she'd been adopted to arriving in the little town of Grand Rapids, Minnesota where she hopes to find out about her biological parents. With her life on hold, Clare is bound and determined to find anything at all that could shed some light on her elusive past. Soon, what started as a harmless quest for information turns into a dangerous life-or-death struggle and Clare must decide how far she's willing to go for the truth. Can she risk her future just to learn about her past?

"Conspiracy of Silence" is an adrenaline-packed page turner that will have you immediately hooked. Powers' breathes vibrant life into her characters so you really get to know them; you feel their fears, their pain, their helplessness, and their determination. Her plot is more of an experience and you are exhausted by the last page, having ridden the same emotional roller-coaster ride her characters have all experienced. By the time I finished, I realized I'd been holding the book with a white-knuckled grip. And the ending - completely and utterly unexpected and will have your mind reeling long after the last page.

"Conspiracy of Silence" is absolutely perfect for adult readers of thriller, conspiracy, and mystery novels. Powers writes with a strength and intensity that will lure John Grisham and Robert Ludlum fans all while maintaining an overall feminine flavor that her readers have come to appreciate. If you've never read a Martha Powers novel, now's the time to start.

Author Martha Powers new thriller, "Conspiracy of Silence" is sure to make plenty of noise upon its release. Jam-packed with vibrant details and non-stop action, it will keep you up reading; even keep you up pondering what will happen next if you manage to tear yourself away from its pages. Hands down and by far, "Conspiracy of Silence" the best novel I've read all year. Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant!

--Vicki Landes, author of "Europe for the Senses: A Photographic Journal"

With consistently predictable characters and conversation, this is an inoffensive boring book that likely would not appeal to readers accustomed to real life or genuine intrigue.

Clare Prentice seems to have it all until a trip to her family physician reveals the horrifying truth of her adoption. With very little to go on, Clare makes life changing decisions in an effort to unravel her past, revealing that things aren't always as they seem. Conspiracy of Silence takes readers on an intense journey to a small town in Minnesota to unearth the truth behind a 25-year-old murder and Clare's struggle to come to terms with her identity.

Powers weaves a remarkable tale filled with unexpected twists that will leave the reader guessing until the end.

Clare Prentice has had quite a rough time for the last couple of years. In the aftermath of her Mother's death, she soon is in the Doctor's office nervously awaiting the results of a needle biopsy and other tests. Her mother, Rose, died of breast cancer and Clare is terrified that she has it as well. Clare can't move forward with her engagement until she knows her health status. The fact she is cancer free is a relief. Then the Doctor drops a bombshell.

Her mother was not her biological mother.

Within weeks, Clare learns there are no records of her adoption and that everything she has always believed was a lie. Her only clue leads her to the idyllic town of Grand Rapids, Minnesota. For the folks there, she is in town to interview a very reclusive local author. For Clare, she is on the hunt to find out her own family history. A history tied into a sensational murder case. And for a murderer, Clare back home is a problem to be dealt with as quickly as possible.

What follows is a complex and deeply layered tale that captivates the reader. Clare is both incredibly determined to find out her past no matter where the trail leads and incredibly vulnerable to the pain of such knowledge. She soon bonds with the reader in a unique way that makes the book come totally alive in every sense of the word.

The main storyline involves the murder and the family legacy. At the same time, two secondary storylines are interwoven into the main one. One involves Clare and her interview assignment. The other, the beginnings of a romance between Clare and one other character. Therefore, the novel contains both a fascinating decades old mystery and her search for the truth involving the crime as well as the beginnings of a romance.

Much like the legendary Phoenix who arose again from the charred ashes, Clare has been badly charred and yet flies again. Her flight is weak at first, but, as she slowly moves on from the burning lies of her past and fits the pieces of various puzzles together, she comes to find out that she can succeed.

This is, simply put, one of the best books I have read this year. It wouldn't have been something I ordinarily would have picked up. It also isn't being done the justice it deserves by this review. All I can say is ... Read it. You won't regret it.


Kevin R. Tipple (copyright) 2008

If you have some time to curl up with a beguiling mystery and you enjoy romance with some psychological intrigue mixed with the puzzle, I recommend Martha Powers' latest thriller, Conspiracy of Silence.

We meet journalist Claire Prentice in her doctor's office where she is being seen for the biopsy result of the lump on her breast. Although her report turns out fine, her doctor encourages her to learn more about any medical issues in her family history before Claire's approaching marriage. When she tells Dr. Craig it would be impossible to do that (her father died when she was three, her mother two years before, and both parents had no relatives), the doctor stuns Claire by saying she meant her biological parents, not her adoptive ones. And in this instant, having had no idea she'd been adopted, Claire's identity as she has always known it is shattered.

A few months later, determined to learn her real identity and family story, Claire leaves Chicago and drives to Grand Rapids, Minnesota, where she believes her adoptive mother may have lived as a child. As an ostensible reason for her arrival, Claire has obtained an assignment from her literary magazine to interview Grand Rapids local author and recluse, Nate Hanssen.

Claire rents a small cabin near a lake and soon begins to uncover small pieces of information that lead her into a convoluted and treacherous journey. It also soon becomes obvious, after one and then another murder, that someone in Grand Rapids wants the carefully constructed conspiracy of silence that surrounds Claire's life to be left alone.

Powers' pace and plot are very good and her authentic characters are fascinating. Always closely examining the clues in any mystery I read--and even taking notes at times--I did not guess the murderer's identity until it became obvious at the very end.

by Mary Jo Doig
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women

This was very suspenseful. Kept you guessing until the very end. Excellent read!