Silent to the Bone

This is an intelligent, taut and eminently readable mystery novel. The mystery revolves around what happened to leave baby Nikki in the vegetative state she inhabits for much of the book. And what has happened between the alluring babysitter, Vivian, and Branwell, Nikki’s half-brother, to leave Branwell literally struck dumb by events?

The narrator’s voice is Connor’s, Branwell’s closest friend. He is the only person able to communicate with Branwell. He does so through a series of cards bearing words and letters of the alphabet to which Branwell may or may not respond to give Connor clues which help him in his mission to establish what happened on the night Nikki fell into a coma, and to get Branwell released from the detention centre where he is held. Connor’s voice rings true; it is that of a decent though precocious, privileged kid, on the verge of adolescence, driven by loyalty to his friend, and an idealistic desire to get at the truth.

Connor is aided by his grown-up half-sister, Margaret. While she is a willing ally, there are other complications resulting from tension between their mutual father and Margaret. This gives an extra layer of complexity to the novel, as do the sexual feelings awakened in Connor and in Branwell by Vivian, whereby we are offered a sensitive exposition on the way embarrassment may morph into numbing shame in a teenage boy. While the boys are on the edge of adolescence, this is a novel with much to offer to an older readership; it deserves to be widely read and enjoyed.