The Weight of Silence

In her literary debut, Heather Gudenkauf has crafted an affecting novel in The Weight of Silence. Says #1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Wiggs, "The Weight of Silence is a tense and profoundly emotional story of a parent's worse nightmare, told with compassion and honesty. Heather Gudenkauf skillfully weaves an explosive tale of suspense and ultimately, the healing power of love.”

It happens quietly one August morning. As dawn’s shimmering light drenches the humid Iowa air, two families awaken to find their little girls have gone missing in the night. Seven-year-old Calli Clark is sweet and gentle, a dreamer who suffers from selective mutism brought on by a tragedy that pulled her deep into silence as a toddler. Calli’s mother, Antonia, tried to be the best mother she could within the confines of marriage to a mostly absent, often angry husband.  Now, though she denies that her husband could be involved, she fears her decision to stay in her marriage has cost her more than her daughter’s voice.

Petra Gregory is Calli’s best friend, her soul mate and her voice. But neither Petra nor Calli has been heard from since their disappearance was discovered.  Desperate to find his child, Martin Gregory is forced to confront a side of himself he did not know existed beneath his intellectual, professorial demeanor. Now these families are tied by the question of what happened to their children.  And the answer is trapped in the silence of unspoken family secrets. 

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Here's what MotherTalk reviewers are saying about The Weight of SIlence:

Seeryus Mama says: "Gudenkauf'snovel is told through multiple first person and narratives, it's donewell. There were characters I loved, and others that I wanted to kill.Overall, this was a well written book, full of emotion and definitely a book that is hard to put down once started."

Suzy Q Homemaker says: "As the story unfolded and I learned more about the secrets that boundthe characters together, I really felt  for Antonia.  She enduredseveral tragedies that I haven’t experienced myself, but as a mother Iwanted to reach through the pages and give her a big hug.  It certainlymade me hold my children a little tighter.  The other characters werebelievable, well-developed, and I could identify with different aspectsof each of them."

Chefdruck Musings says: "I found the Weight of Silence to be so suspenseful that I could notbear to put it down. I simply had to find out what would happen to thegirls and who had taken them. I also was dying to know whether Calliwould speak again. I read it breathlessly, and the pace didn't let upuntil the last chapter."

Counterfeit Humans says: "Employing multiple narrators with many distinct voices, the reader isprovided a glimpse into the mind of each character from Antonia,Calli’s emotionally wounded mother, to Martin, Petra’s mild, butdoggedly determined father, and even includes the voices of the missinggirls. Thestory manages to race forward despite the different voices andperspectives thanks to the well crafted chapters that ably exhibit theauthor’s care and creativity."

Stop, Drop & Review says: "The book itself leads you to doubt yourself. For awhile, you think youknow the story. And then you question yourself. Are you right? Did youproperly pick the perpetrator? Do you know what caused the one girl tobecome a selective mute? Will she talk? Won’t she? All of thosequestions, and more, are why I kept turning the pages in the dark ofour vehicle, desperate to find out the answers."

Cool Moms Rule says: "A mesmerizing, perplexing and ultimately deeply thought-provoking detective's tale, Heather Gudenkauf's The Weight of Silence will keep you up at night turning the pages to discover the truth. This taut, well-written work is no light summer reading."

Mommy Mentor says: "The Weight of Silencewill capture your interest and keep you engaged as you travel thisemotional journey with these families. It is always a wonderful feelingto carry a book with you because you want to read it when you have afree moment - The Weight of Silence was exactly that for me."

Manic Mommy says: "Author Gudenkauf takes the reader on a surprising trip through theminds of most of the characters in this book...You’ll not want to put the book down till you findout what has happened to Calli and her friend. Written in a way thatyou NEED to turn the page, this book is part mystery, part suspense,part love story, and all adrenaline inducing!

Red Sox Mommy says: "I loved the way this book was written. Each chapter is told from theperspective of a different character involved, from Calli's olderbrother Ben to the deputy sheriff involved in the case and even fromthe perspective of the two missing girls themselves. It wasfascinating to see the situation from so many sides. While goingthrough the current situation the past is also explored. The readerlearns the twists and turns of these people's lives and what broughtthem to this point."

The Daily Bitch says: " I opened it up and raninto my first little mental roadblock -- you get to read through theeyes of different characters, who are designated by their names on each'chapter' page. TYPICALLY I shy away from those and I'll tell youwhy: when I am engaged and involved in a story, I do not read thechapter titles. HOWEVER. Thesewere written in distinctive enough voices that once I'd read a coupleof chapters with each character, I didn't need to look anymore"

Redlady's Reading Room says: "The story that ensues is not one that I usually like to read as amother as it can be heartwrenching to read stories related toabduction. I found that Ms. Gudenkauf focused on so much more than an"abduction" so please don't let that sway you from reading this book asit is truly about so much more. It focuses on family dynamics, theunconditional love and acceptance of childhoold friends and the powerthat holds in our relationships and secrets that are often leftunspoken."

Catootes says: "Heather Gudenkauf has crafted a deft mystery that forces her charactersto look closely in the mirror. By telling the story through alternatingcharacter voices, a chapter for each person, the threads of the townand the families involved, weave the fabric of small town life,exposing its darkened undercurrents."

Sassy Frazz says: "Very gripping book, and hard to put it down. You will want to keepreading to find out what happend to Calli and Petra. As the storiesunravel your eyes will be opened and new twists will be revealed. Irecommend this book, and the author will keep you turning the pages."

Dragonflies 'n Daydreams says: "This is a story about families, love, tragedy, and hope. I highlyrecommend reading this amazing debut book. I feel it will make youappreciate what you have and hold onto everything a little bit closer."

One Mom's Memos says: "The Weight of Silence is definitely not a light read but absolutely a great book. It’s very thought provoking because it could be a story about any family living anywhere, right now. Being Heather Gudenkauf’s first novel, I can’t wait to read what she writes next."

Fictionary says: "The Weight of Silence is a beautifully detailed and deeply intriguing exploration of human emotion through the eyes of several different people involved in this story of the disappearance of these two children. The characters are so elaborate that they almost seem real…this is one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. I will definitely keep an eye out for more novels by Ms. Gudenkauf!”– Review from manicreaders.com

All Thumbs Reviews says: "I liked this book for the gripping storyline. I was propelled by questions like Whatcaused Calli to become mute? Why did the two girls disappear? What willthe parents do when they find out what happened to their daughters? Will Calli's mom EVER leave her abusive husband? The book is a fast read because each chapter is just a few pages long.I found myself just reading "one more chapter" long into the night."