Silent House book review

There's someone in your home, but you can't hear them...

Earlier this year, I read "Silent House" by Nell Pattison with my online ASL book club, DEAFinitely Readers. I was excited because this book seems to be the first we've read that includes multiple Deaf characters and an interpreter! It essentially mirrored a Deaf community. This book is a thriller/suspense novel. There aren't many books in this genre that feature Deaf/Hard of Hearing characters. The author is a teacher who specializes in Deaf education, so I had high expectations for this book.

When I first picked up this book, I had high hopes based on the reviews I had encountered. I anticipated a gripping narrative that would draw me in and provoke thought. Instead, I found myself grappling with frustration. I couldn't overlook the numerous unrealistic moments that would breach the code of ethics in the interpreting field.

"Silent House" is a chilling and unsettling tale centered around Paige Norwood, a freelance sign language interpreter proficient in British Sign Language (BSL) in England. One morning, she gets an urgent call without knowing the details. Strike one. They always tell you what you interpreting for and an interpreter can decline the assignment if they are uncomfortable! Upon reaching her assignment, she realizes it’s a murder crime scene involving a Deaf family. She soon discovers she is familiar with the family and that the young girl, Lexi, has been murdered.

It is common in the Deaf community to recognize someone because the community is so small, and if you live locally, you're likely to encounter someone you know. However, what concerns me is that her DEAF sister, Anna, is very familiar with the family and is the GODMOTHER of the deceased child. She should have stepped down from the assignment right away. Strike two

Therefore, she chooses to keep this a secret and carry on with her job. She frequently mentions the need to inform her sister, but she is unable to due to confidentiality. Strike 3. As she proceeds with this assignment, her sister discovers the truth and blames her. Paige becomes overly emotionally involved in the case. She involves her sister, and they begin their own investigation by tracking suspects and inquiring at the Deaf club, putting their lives at risk. Strike 4.

The story remains chaotic as the detectives later discover that Paige lied about her acquaintance with the family. Paige begins receiving threatening letters, and someone is attempting to harm her and her sister due to their involvement.

While I appreciated the concept of this story and the fear it evokes when you can't hear someone in your home and a murder occurs, the case deeply impacted the Deaf community. The plot kept me intrigued about the murder suspect's identity, which I found enjoyable. However, I couldn't rate it higher than 3 stars due to my frustration with the interpreter's actions and the treatment of Deaf individuals. Additionally, I was surprised that Paige faced no consequences at the end, as she wasn't suspended or punished for breaching her code of ethics.

There are a few more books in this series featuring Paige, and I assume she continues to investigate other cases. I don't think I'll be able to read the series.

I appreciated how the author highlighted the difference between spoken and signed language in the book. She used italics for the signing, which I really enjoyed!

Book Blurb:

If someone was in your house, you’d know . . . Wouldn’t you?

But the Hunter family are deaf, and don’t hear a thing when a shocking crime takes place in the middle of the night. Instead, they wake up to their worst nightmare: the murder of their daughter.

The police call Paige Northwood to the scene to interpret for the witnesses. They’re in shock, but Paige senses the Hunters are hiding something.

One by one, people from Paige’s community start to fall under suspicion. But who would kill a little girl?

Was it an intruder?

Or was the murderer closer to home?

If you read this book, i would love to hear your thoughts!

Fun Facts: I am also part of another book club with my friends, most of whom are interpreters. I asked them how they would react if they were involved in a similar case. They immediately said they would have withdrawn from it!