I am delighted to be a part of the blog tour today for No One Can Hear You by Nikki Crutchley. My thanks to Rachel of Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me to be a part of the tour.
No One Can Hear You is the second novel by Nikki Crutchley, and it’s a cracking female led thriller.
The novel opens in 2001 with the abduction and subsequent escape of troubled teen, Faith Marsden. Terrified she flees the town of Crawton and years later she still bears the scars of her ordeal. In the present day, the reader meets Zoe Haywood, a former friend of Faith’s who returns to Crawton following the death of her estranged mother, Lillian. In her mother’s belongings Zoe discovers mysterious notes detailing concerns over two other women who may also have gone missing. But is there any truth to Lillian’s confused ramblings? Reunited, Faith and Zoe investigate, delving deeply into Auckland’s dark underworld…..
I was drawn to this book by its synopsis, I really liked the idea of a mystery thriller dominated by female characters, and I certainly wasn’t disappointed in that respect. The main character, Zoe Haywood is quite closed off in the beginning, and I found her to be surrounded by an aura of sadness and isolation. The reason why soon becomes apparent, and her return to her home town of Crawton to bury her estranged mother, Lillian, sees her begin to connect and engage with the world once more. I really liked Zoe, but my only complaint was that for me, her backstory, which was so much a part of who she was, is fully revealed late on and it just felt a bit tagged on. I thought it was building to a big reveal, and so I did feel a bit of an anti climax. I closed the last chapter feeling a little deflated on that front.
However, that is a very minor complaint, and it certainly doesn’t detract because the rest of the novel is such a great read. The storyline especially is goose bump inducing and a very harrowing read at times. At certain points in the story the author could have gone all out and been extremely graphic, however she hasn’t. I personally thought this was of huge benefit to me as a reader as I found that the little hints sent my imagination into overdrive leaving me feeling tense, anxious, horrified and right there in the room with the character as they were put through their ordeal. Less sometimes really is more.
I loved the strong feeling of ‘girl power’ throughout the novel. Zoe, Faith, Megan, Lillian and Emma are all strong female characters and I was so pleased that feeling of female unity was maintained throughout the novel. It’s not to say that men don’t play their part in the novel, there are hints of romance, and they are included in the story but the men are never the focus. It’s always about the women, their story and their battle for the truth.
If you’re looking for a strong, female driven thriller, then I highly recommend No One Can Hear You. Captivating, intense and dark, its an incredibly enjoyable read! I’ll be looking out for Nikki Crutchley’s next novel!
If you’re interested in purchasing No One Can Hear You: http://a.co/21oE8Yx
Synopsis
He said that they’d let me go on purpose. That they could easily find me if they wanted to. He said that they didn’t want me. That I was too much trouble. He said if I went to the cops, he’d know. If I told Sonya, he’d know. If I talked to friends or teachers, he’d know. He told me to pretend it didn’t happen. He told me to consider it a compliment, that I was too strong. His last words to me were, ‘Just forget’.
Troubled teen Faith Marsden was one of several girls abducted from Crawton, a country town known for its picturesque lake and fertile farmland. Unlike the others, she escaped, though sixteen years on she still bears the emotional and physical scars.
Zoe Haywood returns to Crawton to bury her estranged mother Lillian, who has taken her own life. As she and Faith rekindle their high-school friendship, they discover notes left by Lillian that point to two more young women who recently disappeared from Crawton. But Lillian’s confused ramblings leave them with more questions than answers.
As Faith and Zoe delve deeper into the mystery, they become intent on saving the missing women, but in doing so are drawn into Auckland’s hidden world of drugs, abduction and murder. And then Faith decides to confront the mastermind – on her own.
About the Author
Nikki Crutchley lives in Cambridge, New Zealand with her husband and two daughters. No One Can Hear You is Nikki’s second crime novel, set in the small Waikato town of Crawton. Her first book, Nothing Bad Happens Here, a crime/thriller set on the Coromandel Coast of New Zealand was a finalist in the 2018 Ngaio Marsh Award for best first novel. Nikki has worked in libraries in New Zealand and the UK and now works as a freelance proofreader. Nikki’s flash fiction has been published online and in the Fresh Ink anthology and the upcoming Bonsai anthology.
Social Media Links – fb.me/NikkiCrutchleyAuthor
Twitter.com/NikkiCAuthor
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17129077.Nikki_Crutchley
*I received an e-book version of No One Can Hear You in exchange for my honest review.
Emma R. 