Silencing Sarah
by M. L. Cordle
A novel
of voices: gossip, ghosts and a mysterious drowning.
Publisher: Resplendence Publishing (October
2007)
Madison Owens returns to Virginia
like a prodigal daughter only to discover that Will McGomery now has
possession of her grandparents' land and cabin, a place she had hoped
to call her own. Determined to undo this wrong and get him to sell her
the property, she keeps visiting. Maddie feels a powerful attraction to
Will despite the horrible rumors and the cloud of suspicion of his
connection to the suspicious drowning of Sarah Chambers and his wife's
suicide. Will wants nothing more than the peace of solitude. The
cabin is the perfect sanctuary to escape the town's rumors and the deep
secrets of the past that haunt him. When Maddie arrives on his
doorstep, persistently asking questions, Will attempts to warn her
about the dangers of bringing the past to light. Maddie cannot resist
her growing attraction to this recluse. Everyone blames him for Sarah's
murder. When he hears the voice of Sarah herself, Will knows that he
must act. Inconsistencies and personal relationships among the
townspeople lead Maddie to believe that Will might be innocent despite
the rumors, but his strange behavior also adds to the suspicion.
Mystery, silence and innuendo surrounds all those involved with Sarah
Chambers, that the truth may lie hidden in the hearts of a whole town.
Can Will face the past? Can Maddie uncover the truth and stay alive?
Can love speak across the divide between life and death and cry out for
justice, not only for those wronged but for the future?
Madison's journey home to Virginia opens up a can of worms! Suddenly
all the secrets and underground sexual liaisons that an entire town has
kept below the surface now seethe and simmer in full view. From the
first pages, the reader hears all the voices and the gossip directly in
dialogue as family and townspeople the townspeople discusses Will and
Maddie and the case of Sarah, speculating but not giving straight
answers. The author extensive use of dialogue to set the story adds to
the Southern setting, creating a location where people get together and
talk and tell stories. As speculation about Maddie and Will heightens,
so does the suspense as gossip unveils the personal liaisons and
emotional attachments behind the enigmatic Sarah. Alongside Maddie, the
reader starts to realize that something darker lies behind the town's
more public stance on Sarah's drowning. As Will reveals the tortured
past, can he find peace or forgiveness? As the author's portrait of
Will deepens, the reader feels the contrast between the dialogged of
gossip and the voice of Sarah haunting Will, a voice of truth that
stands out amongst the gossip and destructive relationships. Sarah's
voice speaks quickly, warning with an unusual directness and urgency.
As the author moves into the narration of dreams and the supernatural,
the language takes a more lyrical tone, creating a richness that
contrasts with the dialogged. As the suspense heightens, Sarah's voice
creates a spiritual dimension breaks through to a kind of justice
beyond what the law might achieve.
SILENCING SARAH
has a different tone than the standard fare in romantic suspense, a
tone that kept drawing me deeper and deeper into her story. Although it
might be a little less polished than some of the more vetted works in
the genre, the author also takes more exciting chances, truly
surprising the reader as the path to the truth narrows. SILENCING SARAH is unique, more
cutting edge than the typical bestsellers, and quite refreshing to
readers looking for variety within the genre. Will is not a blameless
romance hero. Indeed, many characters are flawed human beings whose
past tortures them. M.L. Cordle creates a vision of romance that
extends outward and beyond, healing even those riddled by guilt and
tormented by their past decisions and actions. This book might not
appeal to those who want a more simple distracting read or something
that complies with stricter genre definitions, but to readers, like
myself, who enjoy exploring the more eclectic, and finding something
unexpected, SILENCING SARAH
appeals precisely because it defies easy definitions. M.L Cordle
creates an exciting mix of romance, suspense and the paranormal with a
gratifying depth of spirituality coming out of the twisted past. M.L.
Cordle takes risks in the narrative style that worked for me, making SILENCING SARAH more meaningful. I
loved SILENCING SARAH because
it is the kind of book where I followed the book versus a book that
followed my expectations.
Reviewed by Merrimon,
Merrimon Book Reviews
