Read in 2 hours and 32 minutes.

I appreciate NetGalley for the ARC but I really didn’t like this book.

It was the equivalent of poverty p**rn mixed with if the Grimm Brothers had their version of Cinderella taking place in a disused slaughterhouse.

There’s enough darkness in the world: I don’t understand why someone would enjoy writing something so grimy that doesn’t provide a ‘moral of the story’ or philosophical views- what was the point?

Alice is a mute prisoner in her family home, forbidden to leave by her drunkard stay-at-home mother and her terrifying travelling salesman father.
She doesn’t remember her murky past but she hates her miserable present, and dreams of escaping, despite her parents’ threats.

One day, she discovers that her father is dying of cancer, and everything changes.

As he writhes in agony and screams the house down, she becomes obsessed with the young woman next door, who communicates by notes held up to their windows and clumsy signing.

When Alice uncovers her deceased fathers journals and realises that he’s a long-term serial killer, she concocts a plan with neighbour Hailey to return to the towns where murders took place, and prove it was him.

SPOILERS BELOW.

Despite their dramatic manifesto, they go to one (1) town, match the initials in her father’s journal with a missing girl that looks eerily similar to Alice, and decree “jobs a gooden” immediately.

The police unsurprisingly swarm over the journals, inform Alice of her past, and *they* are the ones who take charge and visit other towns to investigate the murders.

Everything else carries on without her so, yes, Alice found the journals and showed the police, but it was hardly The Great Adventure.

Plus, I find it more than a little disturbing that Hailey plucks this naive unworldly woman from her house-arrest, and then makes moves on her, declaring them in love?
Is that not predatory enough, without Hailey revealing that she knew all about Alice’s dad, Jack, after all, even before she groomed his kid?

It’s such a weird ending that seemed to be built around amping up the shock factor without really providing any resolution.

I may be biased as I didn’t enjoy Girl A either (which is a similar vibe) but at least the siblings didn’t shack up with the first person they saw (literally) outside of their parents.

I’m bitterly disappointed as this book could’ve been so much more than a lump of c-roll footage spliced together.

None of the characters are likeable- none.
Even the women that I’m supposed to be sorry for were so 2D that I could see straight through their flimsy personalities.

Enjoy at your own risk but I *will* judge you.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ - 3/5 STARS

this was... anticlimactic. it sounded intriguing up until i realized that the blurb IS the story. aside from some suspenseful moments and interesting plot points, there really wasn't anything to grab onto. it's not that it's a bad book, it just wasn't giving... thrill. it is a quick read though.

the first half of the book, you're pretty much learning about Alice and her invisible life. she was never let out of the home or allowed to interact with anybody outside of her parents, despite being mute. while they weren't well off, she lives comfortably tucked away. she yearns for more though. and then Hailey moves in next door. the story picks up a little from there.

i was hoping for more. it's very, very slow-burn and slow-going. i will say, though, that the author really knows how to paint a picture. it was easy to imagine the story and immerse yourself into Alice's shoes. so if you like a book where you're able to visualize it like a movie, this would be for you.

would i recommend this? depends on the audience and what recommendations they're searching for. i'm still glad i read it and would encourage those who like true crime to give it a chance. you might even enjoy it more than i did!

a big 'thank you' to Datura Books for allowing me the opportunity to read an advanced copy via NetGalley. i leave this review voluntarily. all thoughts are opinions are my own.

Alive lives in seclusion, isolated by her mutism, without leaving the house, interacting only with her alcoholic mother and her salesman father.
Although not everything is perfect, Alice is relatively content until the new neighbour Hailey arrives. Then she begins to consider leaving her confinement.
When her father is dying, she uncovers secrets that make her suspect he is a serial killer. With his diaries and Hailey's help, she decides to go in search of the truth.
The premise is intriguing and during the first third I was hooked with a claustrophobic atmosphere where the main character lives more in her thoughts than in real life.
Then for some reason it lost interest, perhaps because the plot slowed down during the road trip and the romance to resume with the investigation and a not entirely satisfactory conclusion.
I expected more, but overall it's a slow-burning psychological thriller with a good ambience and a plot with family secrets and a twist or two that even if you could have seen it coming, manages to hold your attention.

Alice is 24 years old, mute and has been a prisoner in her own home her whole life. If that isn’t intriguing enough, she discovers that her father may be a serial killer… This book drew me in from the beginning. It was chilling and the atmosphere of the book was very tense for me.

A neighbor Hailey moves in who is invested in helping Alice navigate this discovery. Together they investigate her father’s potential crimes to get to the truth.

Parts of this story I was completely immersed in and at other times it felt like a YA book. Alice just seemed so much younger than 24 due to her isolation from the world. I felt that the love story was completely unnecessary and didn’t add any value to the story. It felt out of place in this high pressure intense situation. Overall though it was a good book that I enjoyed.

3.75 ⭐️

A haunting psychological thriller with a slow-building sense of dread. Sandra J. Paul weaves emotional depth into every layer of suspense, pulling me in completely.

“The Girl Without A Voice” was set in fall 1980 and centered on Alice, a 22-year-old woman born mute. Her parents convinced her, and nearly everyone, that she was always voiceless and kept her isolated in their home. Her only connection to the outside world was through books and watching soap operas in secret. When her dad was diagnosed with cancer, Alice stayed by his bedside and learned of a horrific secret.

Paul fabricated an extremely unique premise- a mute woman uncovering her father’s dark past made for an original set up that immediately grabbed my attention. I loved the small town setting. It set a chilling tone and a moody and claustrophobic atmosphere. Even more, the emotional depth of Alice’s internal world of loneliness/isolation, confusion and desire to find the truth was beautifully portrayed with sensitivity and realism. I liked how this story blended psychological tension, dark family secrets, and a chilling journey toward self-discovery. Moreover, this story’s tone dealt with heavy and mature themes like emotional abuse, isolation, and the lasting impact of childhood trauma. It explored how past wounds shape identity, relationships, and trust.

“The Girl Without a Voice” echoed the tone of Emma Donoghue’s “Room,” but unfolded at a more gradual, slow-burning pace. This is a great book for readers who like slow-building, atmospheric suspense with deep-rooted family secrets and emotional tension.

Grateful to NetGalley and Datura for the early read in return for an honest review.

I felt so bad for Alice heart felt read she really had such a hard life !!!! To take care of a man that was never really in your life is such heartbreaking but you have to have a forgiving heart to do as such I love this read touched me and so many ways !! Thank you thank you

I went into A Girl Without a Voice by Sandra J. Paul blind…and I’m glad I did. The story follows Alice, a 24-year-old mute woman, who has been isolated as far back as she can remember by her parents. When her father who has cancer dies, a series of events unfold that lead her to connect with her neighbor Hailey and begin uncovering long-buried family secrets. What starts as a quiet, unsettling story gradually shifts into a gripping mystery/thriller in the second half. There were several twists that surprised me, which may not have had the same impact if I’d read the description first. It’s a fast-paced and absorbing read that kept me hooked until the end.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing the eARC. #AGirlWithoutAVoice #netgalley

So Alice is not twenty-two as described in the blurb, since her twenty-fourth birthday is referenced several times as being in the past. Just had to get that out there, first. Second, the blurb pretty much gives away the entire story, and any sharp reader will infer the rest. So I was hoping that there would be more revealed in the story as a surprise, but unfortunately, there wasn't. Alice is mute and kept locked up in her house, never having left except to go out in the garden. Even she comes to realize eventually that this isn't' normal but she doesn't rebel or escape, she just accepts that this is her life. She sees a new neighbor, Hailey, and they communicate through their windows, and apparently also fall in love at first sight. Yeah, it's also part love story.

Alice's father dies, again, not a spoiler, and right before doing so, rambles about what he did to the others. Not exactly a murder confession, but strange enough that Alice goes through his belongings and finds his journals from his years as a traveling salesman. Also, this is set around 1980, one of the few details not referenced in the blurb. And also, her father doesn't die until halfway through the story, and it's very slow-paced until that point. Alice and Hailey go through the journals and believe they find clues to crimes he committed every year. Rather than hand it over to the police, and you know, tell the world what happened to her, they go on a road trip to see if they can find 'real evidence' before turning to the authorities. Sure.

So that's about it, and I'm sure you realize, to some degree, why she was rendered mute. If you're looking for a satisfying conclusion, you won't get one. It seriously just ends, and you're like, I read this entire story to end up with that conclusion?? Highly frustrating. This could have been executed in a much better way. There's barely any action and no suspense. And then it ends. No, thank you.

This book was SO GOOD!! I’m off for the summer because I’m a teacher so I tons of reading time and I read this book in half a day! I just kept going and didn’t want to stop. Those are the best books! The characters are great and well developed and it’s just a great story. Go read it!!

Rounding up to 3 ⭐


This one sadly didn't live up to my expectations.
At times it felt like a teen romance, at other times like Nancy Drew.
I'm not really sure how you go from never having left your home to searching down your father's murder victims based on a few words... but there you go.
However the plot was intriguing enough to keep me going to the end.
Just an OK from me.

Whoa! I just want to start off by saying that The Girl Without a Voice is SO GOOD!!!!

Alice is mute. She can hear but cannot speak. She's been kept hidden away from the world her entire life and the only people who know she exist are her parents. They've convinced her that she'd be put in a facility if anyone found out about her so she lives an isolated life. Hailey moves in next door and they slowly become friends, communicating through their windows. Alice's dad dies and makes a startling confession on his deathbed. Alice and Hailey then decide to try and figure out the truth of what happened.

I legitimately read it in a few hours. Got it this morning and finished it this afternoon. I know the phrase can be overused, but it was honestly hard to put down! I enjoyed the writing style and the pacing throughout. It never felt like there was a lull at any point. The characters are well written and have the depth that you need in a good story. The relationship that develops between Alice and Hailey has so many layers and you really feel for them both. The end had me in WTF??? mode. I won't spoil anything but I'm still trying to decide how I feel about it!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Alice can’t speak - she’s mute. She observes the chaos between her parents. She is hidden from the world. Eventually she befriends the new neighbor Hailey and when things change in her home life, the two friends begin to look into who Alice’s parents or especially her father. After finding his journals they believe he may have harmed many women in the past. As they work to unravel the mystery, the bond between them grows. I was captivated by the character development and the plot. Everything developed at a fast pace and made it hard to put this book down. This was a thriller but also a story of friends, love, family, and more.