Book Review (and a Giveaway!): Silence Says the Most by Kathleen Bailey

SILENCE SAYS THE MOST by Kathleen Bailey
SERIES: Olivia Penn Mysteries #2
GENRE: Cozy Mystery
PUBLISHER: Rhino Publishing LLC
RELEASE DATE: October 25, 2022
PAGES: 304

A heartwarming cozy mystery that celebrates the connections of friends and family with a Gilmore Girls vibe.

Five days before Halloween, fall turns frightful in Apple Station when a child’s drawing entangles Olivia in a murder at a park lake.

Olivia’s hometown is gearing up for its annual Halloween festival, and pumpkins, corn mazes, and autumn vibes are everywhere. All is cozy in the crisp fall air as excitement builds for the costume parade on Friday. A casual Monday lakeside picnic lunch with her forever friend, though, sets off a chain of events that catches Olivia in the wrong place at the wrong time.

When a body is discovered amid an algae bloom under mysterious circumstances, everyone points fingers, but one among them is not telling the truth. The only apparent witness to the crime is a child who doesn’t speak. Motives abound, suspects are plenty, and it’s up to Olivia to discover why the child has implicated her as the key to solving the murder.

Can Olivia unmask the killer before the endangered evidence vanishes, and she becomes the next victim?

If you like small town, cozy mysteries with heart and humor, a charming cast of characters, and a twisty plot, you’ll love Silence Says the Most, the second book in The Olivia Penn Mystery Series.

Other Books In This Series

Full of unexpected twists and lots of heart, Silence Says the Most by Kathleen Bailey will keep you turning the pages!

There’s something about fall that lends itself to cozy mysteries, and especially at Halloween. As that aforementioned spooky holiday approaches, Apple Station is preparing for its big fall festival and Olivia is enjoying the season. At least she is until she stumbles on a body and opens a can of worms she didn’t see coming. Before this case is solved, she’ll take some unplanned swims, dodge venomous snakes, get lost in a corn maze, and end up in the slammer… all for wont of a dog’s lost (read: favorite) ball. It took me – and Olivia – a bit to get fully interested in this case but once she did, I did too. I loved the unpredictable twists and clever distractions that ultimately led to figuring out the culprit, and it’s always a win in my book (given how many mysteries I have read & watched in my 45 years) when a mystery surprises me. Silence Says the Most did that, and more!

Bottom Line: All the things that charmed me in this series’s first book also charmed me in Silence Says the Most – Olivia, her father, their beagle puppy Buddy, Olivia’s various long-time friends, and (particularly) Floyd and Dorothy. The mystery was, once again, cleverly done and utilized some unique elements that intrigued me. If you haven’t already met the book’s protagonist, you will easily embrace Olivia and be rooting for her all the way through this Halloween read. The author’s warm & witty writing voice extends to Olivia’s character, too, and the plot is nicely layered. I was a bit disappointed at the mostly-lack of romance in this one, but there are still hints of its potential for the future. Another delightful visit to Apple Station, Virginia – already looking forward to the next!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)

My Rating: 4 stars / enjoyed it!

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Kathleen Bailey is the author of The Olivia Penn Mystery Series. She writes mysteries with heart and humor that keep to the traditional and cozy sides of crime. Kathleen has degrees in English, psychology, and physical therapy. She previously worked as a pediatric physical therapist for over twenty years with children who have special needs. She now spends her days obsessively plotting and sleuthing in Virginia where she lives with her husband and adorable feline fur baby. When she is not incognito, she is a member of Sisters in Crime and the James River Writers.

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