Propelling the reader back and forth between the 1940s, 1960s and 1980s, The Silent Listener is an unforgettable literary suspense novel set in the dark, gothic heart of rural Australia.
In the cold, wet summer of 1960, 11-year-old Joy Henderson lives in constant fear of her father. She tries to make him happy but, as he keeps reminding her, she is nothing but a filthy sinner destined for Hell . . .
Yet, decades later, she returns to the family’s farm to nurse him on his death bed. To her surprise, her ‘perfect’ sister Ruth is also there, whispering dark words, urging revenge.
Then the day after their father finally confesses to a despicable crime, Joy finds him dead – with a belt pulled tight around his neck . . .
For Senior Constable Alex Shepherd, investigating George’s murder revives memories of an unsolved case still haunting him since that strange summer of 1960: the disappearance of nine-year-old Wendy Boscombe.
As seemingly impossible facts surface about the Hendersons – from the past and the present – Shepherd suspects that Joy is pulling him into an intricate web of lies and that Wendy’s disappearance is the key to the bizarre truth.
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Trigger warning: child abuse and domestic violence. It feels wrong to say I loved this book. It is possibly the saddest, most tragic story I have ever read. And yes, I have read A Little Life. But this … this felt more plausible. Maybe because it’s set in Australia, where I live. Or maybe it’s because my father was an intimidating figure when I was growing up, so I could relate – not to the beatings, but to the sensation of ‘eels rolling back and forth’ in Joy’s stomach when her father was around. The imagery of the eels used extensively throughout the book, is such an effective device deployed by the author to pull the reader into the permanent state of anxiety that is Joy’s existence. But let me back up… Joy Henderson is an 11-year-old girl growing up on a remote farm with her father George, mother Gwen, brother Mark and sister Ruth. In the eyes of the community, her father is a saint. He is a devout Christian, the perfect neighbour and a true pillar of his community. But behind closed doors, he is a brute. Abusive and cruel, he causes irreparable damage to his wife, daughters and son, both physically and mentally. Hence the trigger warning – the violence is graphic and the trauma deeply distressing. The chapters dance between the past (Joy’s childhood) and the present (when Joy returns to the farm as an adult to nurse her dying father). It is upon her return that many mysteries begin to unravel. What really happened to Wendy Boscombe, Joy’s childhood friend who disappeared without a trace in the summer of 1960? Does Joy’s father die of natural causes or is he murdered? And what is the dark truth about Joy’s sister Ruth (pleased to say I guessed this plot early in the piece). The reader joins local police officer Senior Constable Alex Shepherd in his quest to get to the bottom of all of this. This is Lyn Yeowart’s first novel and it is nothing short of brilliant. The writing is so compelling, the characters so strong and the plot so well developed that I truly felt I was living Joy’s experience and quietly going mad with her, which was disturbing and marvellous at the same time. I told myself to stop reading this book before bed as the story became darker and darker, but it was so addictive, I just couldn’t. It is the story of a monster and the savage destruction he wreaks on the lives of the people he should love and protect. It is the story of how much suffering one individual can withstand before making the brave and dangerous decision to escape, even though it means leaving loved ones behind. It is the story of a broken woman who consciously decides to ignore the brutal assaults on her children in order to survive herself. It is the story of a community that turns a blind eye to horrific child abuse because they are too gutless to rock the boat. It is the story of mental illness and its devastating effects on a family. And it is the utter believability of all these storylines that have resonated with me in a way no other book has and will ensure I never forget Joy, Mark, Ruth and Gwen. I felt sick to my stomach through most of it, which is a testament to the quality of the writing. You just know that while this is a piece of fiction, there are many poor souls out there for which this is a reality. The Silent Listener demands stillness upon finishing, to fully absorb everything that has transpired and to grieve for Joy and what could have been. I can’t wait to watch/read some author events when this book is released next month. Keen to know more about the inspiration behind this book, which is loosely based on events from the author’s childhood growing up in rural Victoria. I will be recommending this one, albeit selectively. – Eynas, SA, 5 Stars
This debut novel by Lyn Yeowart is ideal for those who have derived enjoyment from reading “Girl A” by Abigail Dean. Once again, the plot involves a religious fanatic father, George Henderson, and his abused wife, Gwen, and is a dark, compelling book, full of dread, which shows how traumatised and disturbed those who survive domestic violence and abuse can be. This grim, suspenseful book covers three time periods (1942, 1960 and 1983) and is set in rural Australia where, for the first two periods at least, some farming families are clearly in the vice-like grip of poverty. It’s also told via three points of view throughout and when one day a local child, Wendy Boscombe, goes missing a mystery emerges as to what happened to her. With a couple of twists, one rather predictable, the other slightly less so, I was hooked. Thanks to Better Reading for the opportunity to read this sad, haunting tale. – Pamela, SA, 5 Stars
I’m not sure what to say, the book was awesome! the characters were great and that really helped with the story. – Zhyesha, WA, 5 Stars
The Silent Listener draws you into the lives of the Henderson family. The story is told over three time-frames, with each chapter focusing on the relationship between two of the main characters. it begins in the 1940s when George and Gwen marry and move to Blackhunt in rural Australia. Life does not turn out for Gwen quite as she expected, living with George’s instructions, rules and control. During the 1960s, their three children grow up in fear or their father and his punishment of his“ ugly filthy sinners” there are “ Deep red scars. Cold dark secrets” Around this time Joys friend Wendy Boscombe goes missing. Finally, in the 1980s, daughter Joy returns after many years away to look after her dying father, until one day she finds him dead. This is a slow burn thriller with lots of twists and turns and great character development. – Teresa, VIC, 5 Stars
The Silent Listener is Lyn Yeowart’s debut novel, and wow what a debut! This book is both powerfully addictive and deeply disturbing. The Henderson family: George, deeply religious pillar of the community in public, feared perpetrator of domestic abuse at home, Gwen, skilled maker of floral wreaths and displays, wondering what happened to the charming man she married, Mark, eldest child, smart, hard-working, filthy sinner who must be punished for his imperfections, Ruth, much loved middle child, confined to her chair because of “the accident”, Joy, the youngest child, lover of words, painfully aware that her “time will come.” A missing child, Wendy, feared abducted, never found. A village that knows the truth about the Henderson’s home life; but chooses to look the other way. Years later George is dying, and Joy returns home to nurse him. Together with Ruth, she plots justice and revenge. But, when George is found dead with his belt tightly wound around his neck, the local police officer finds himself caught in an intricate web of lies, and Wendy’s disappearance may well be the key. Dark secrets, mental illness, synaesthesia, twists and turns, this book will hold you to the very end. A brilliant read. – Marcia, SA, 5 Stars
Secrets and lies and deep scars, both physical and mental, that ensures one will never forget or forgive. In 1983 Joy Henderson returns to the home she left 20 years earlier, to care for her terminally ill father, with mixed emotions and thoughts of justice and revenge on this man who was a beloved, well-respected member of the community but terrorised his family – a real Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Having vowed not to be a silent listener anymore, the day after confessing to a crime Joy had always suspected him of, George Henderson is found dead in his bed with a belt tied around his neck. The Silent Listener is an epic story of the fear this man brought to his family over 40 years and their efforts to survive. Senior Constable Shephard, investigating George’s murder, tries to collect all the missing pieces to complete the puzzle and solve the mystery and inconsistencies in the history of this troubled family. I was held in suspense right from the beginning of this amazing new Australian thriller with many twists and turns along the way through to its unexpected conclusion and left with a craving for Passiona. – Sarah, NSW, 5 Stars
This was a powerful read. It is a novel of suspense, abuse, an adult’s power and a child’s helplessness and the impact on how violence in the home can change people. – Jenny, NSW, 5 Stars
Lyn Yeowart. Remember that name. You’ll be hearing about her on the bestseller list. Dark, gothic, violent not my usual genre but this is a pure psychological thriller with the twist and turns you crave for in a great book. Goes between the 40s-80s, accurate description of a Victorian farm. Be prepared for a few late nights cause you won’t be able to sleep till you’ve read just a little bit more… – Louise, NSW, 5 Stars
Brilliant psychological debut Australian thriller, spans a few decades, addictive, I read it over 3 days, if I say anything else, it’ll be spoilers, go buy it! – Penny, NSW, 5 Stars
This novel is set in the outback of Australia between the 1940s, 1960s and 1980s. Each chapter of the time zones is always written with the relationships between two characters, however it focuses mostly on Gwen in the 1940s and Joy in the 60s and 80s. The book starts with Gwen meeting and marrying George. Gwen and George move to outback Australia with very little money. This marriage does not have the love that Gwen hopes, however George is a pillar of the community including the local church. Move forward to the 60s with Gwen and George’s children growing up on the farm with little money. The story then focuses on their daughter Joy and how she lives in fear of her father. At the same time one of their neighbour’s children, Wendy disappears. Move forward to the 80s and Joy has since moved away from the farm. She is called back as her father is very sick and may not live much longer. The disappearance of Wendy has never been solved. Joy confronts her father – did he have anything to do with the disappearance of Wendy 20 years before? This is a real page turner. At the end of each chapter you just want to keep reading to find out more. As we keep reading, various signs are given to the life on the farm. I must say this is not a feel-good book. The longer I read this book, the more I dreaded reading it, the worse my feelings got as I read. It is a dark read, but saying that loved the book. – Jonathon, NSW, 5 Stars
Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to read The Silent Listener by Lyn Yeowart. If this is the author’s debut novel, I can’t wait to read more from her. This is an amazing book. I was hooked from the first page. I enjoyed the twenty-year spans from the ’40s, 60s and 80s and found that I was really able to get to know the background of the characters this way. It is a dark book but has moments of lightness and you really love or hate certain characters. The author allows the reader to feel the fear and to see the drabness of the Henderson home compared to the happiness and beauty of ‘the Felicities’ home. I was also fascinated by the fact that George was so loved in the township but at home, the domestic violence and his religious fervour overtook his personality and caused such pain to his family. A great read. – Margaret, NSW, 5 Stars
I couldn’t put this book down! A tragic portrayal of the loneliness of domestic violence, mental illness and how despite everything, our brains will always offer a glimmer of hope. Set in the desolation of a rural property in Victoria, where nothing is as it seems and the characters are as bleak as the weather, redeemed only by Joy’s love of words and the visual magic they create in her mind. A powerful and immensely emotional read. – Lina, VIC, 5 Stars
A Very well written book that shows lasting damage to families who start off with deceit. A damaged man marries a very naive woman for his own purposes and they raise two unwanted children who he treats with horrific violence. When the daughter comes home to care for him when he is dying it is not out of love but revenge. She will make him pay for all the damage he did to his family although he is well thought of throughout this small community because of his fervent attitude to religion and good works. Behind closed doors, he is a monster. There is also a solved mystery of a missing girl from many years before. The characterisations are really good and the book is really well written. – Gloria, SA, 5 Stars
The silent listener is a novel about a family living and divided into 4 parts through 3 different decades. Whilst it took me about 150 pages to get into the book, it most definitely packed a bunch in the last half of the book. Billed as a suspense novel… it was a slow burn but worth the wait! I loved the way it was written and how raw and emotional it was. The characters leapt off the page and were all very intriguing! Definitely would recommend to other book lovers who love Australiana suspense. – Katarzyna, VIC, 5 Stars
George Henderson, a respected member of the Blackhunt community, is dead. His daughter, Joy, called back after a seventeen-year absence to care for her dying father, might be expected to grieve, but does not. Senior Constable Alex Shepherd, summoned to the scene by George’s doctor, is suspicious: did Joy murder her father? If so, why? This is a slow burn thriller that richly rewards the reader’s patience. – Marianne, NSW, 5 Stars
A dark grim story unfolds in the telling of a family’s secrets, dysfunction and disturbing relationships. The author recounts this slowly and expansively across three periods – 1942 1960 & 1983. This constant swapping of time across chapters can be a suspenseful medium but I wondered if necessary in this novel. The story speeds up towards the end as answers to the many family and community mysteries begin to resolve. The final twist is definitely unexpected. – Marianne, NSW, 5 Stars
The Silent Listener by Lyn Yeowart From start to finish, Lyn’s novel, hits only high notes for me. Skipping backwards and forwards through 3 different time zones can be hard to follow but not here. Set in the 1940s, 60s and 80s, the story flows effortlessly. Even though the subject matter is disturbing, there is still a gentleness to the writing and very visual for the reader. All the characters she brings to life, work so well together. Joy Henderson is wonderful. Sad, frightened, Joy only wants to be part of a loving family. Hers is a long way from her desire. Times are hard growing up on the farm. Themes are dark with an unsolved murder, deaths of parents and siblings and a fire to bring things to a head. Lots of twists and turn, I went from thinking I knew who did it, to then thinking I was wrong, to finally realising I had been right all along. Lyn’s ending was perfect for me. I was happy to have had the opportunity to read this advance copy. Thank you. All in all, a great read. – Sharon, ACT, 5 Stars
The Silent Listener has to be the most impactful debut novel I’ve have ever read. It took me some time to get into the book as it moves between the 1940s, 1960s and the 1980s, however as the plot unfolds you are drawn in to the lives of the Henderson family. This novel has been cleverly constructed, dealing with the impact of domestic violence, not often focusing on actual scenes of violence, but keeping an underlying threat of violence throughout. I was drawn to the main character, Joy, who describes growing up on a remote farm with very little money under a strict father – he is seen as a pillar of the community. Joy is vulnerable but also resourceful and resilient. Her mother Gwen, is depicted wonderfully as a women raised to be an obedient wife, home maker and mother but reading her struggles, I was aching for her to be able to see a way out of her domestic situation. Lyn Yeowart has shown how easily domestic violence can be entrenched into a family, and how the veneer of the happy family who participate in the local community is what everyone, including the victims, wants to believe. – Lee, NSW, 5 Stars
What we see is not always what happens behind closed doors. A father, a husband, a family man who is a devout Christian, a perfect neighbour and a man that everyone in the community thinks is a caring man is totally different behind closed doors. To me, he was the devil and what he did to his family is unspeakable. I think Lyn Yeowart has written a great book that shows how easily domestic violence can happen in a family and the fear it causes. The story is set in three timelines, during the 1940s, 1960s and 1980s, and tells us how George and Gwen meet and become a family. It all seems very real. With all the violence and fear there is also warmth and kindness. ‘The Silent Listener’ was set in a rural isolated farm a long way from the closes town in Australia. We mainly follow the life of Joy Henderson and how she saw things. Every time she mentioned eels I shuddered. I don’t think I can look at eels the same way. Also, at the same time, we are left wondering what happened to a little girl Wendy Buscombe. The story has lots of twists and turns that kept me reading to see what will happen next. Joy Henderson was my favourite character. One I didn’t like was, of course, her father George but I also didn’t like Senior Constable Alex Shepherd. It was his attitude to everything. Anyway, it’s a book worth reading and will get you looking at your neighbours and people you know a different way. – Maria, SA, 4 Stars
The Silent Listener’s storyline was seamless, the transition between the multiple timelines flowed exceptionally well. The lingering mystery within the plot held me capitative from cover to cover. Definitely excited to see what other novels This author has up their sleeve, an author to keep an eye out for. Thank you to Better Reading for my ARC in exchange for an honest review. – Jacinda, NSW, 4 Stars
I enjoyed the way the book moved back and forth through the different eras to reveal its character’s mysteries. A page-turning read that kept my interest till the end. – Claire, SA, 4 Stars
Loved it from the very first page, could not put it down. I could not pick what would happen next, nothing was as it seemed. Felt everyone’s pain. – Lynette, NSW, 4 Stars
A must-read book with a timely theme. Some of this book is disturbing, and I had a great deal of sympathy for the characters. It was a sad book, but well written, with a few twists that were unexpected and clever. Overall, a good read. – Ros, ACT, 4 Stars
This book has an ever-evolving storyline which captures your attention and leaves you wanting more. It is told from three points of view, detailing the relationships between the husband and the wife, the father and the daughter and the father and the grown-up daughter. It is also set over three different time periods. This book has a main theme of domestic violence and may be confronting for some readers. What I liked about this book was the way in which the author drew you into each character’s experience and made you keep turning the pages to find out more. – Melanie, SA, 4 Stars
‘The Silent Listener’ is a wonderful debut novel by Lyn Yeowart. Navigates jumping between timelines seamlessly, the reader can quite easily follow the different storylines. Each lends its own lens to the overall narrative, as well as to the phrase ‘silent listener’. I look forward to reading more of Yeowart’s work! – Anusha, VIC, 4 Stars
When the edges of real life and imagination blur together. You don’t see it coming until it happens. A fantastic read from start to finish, that keeps you wondering how many peoples story this could be. – Tammy, SA, 4 Stars
Following life through the eyes of Joy Henderson, she experiences fear and violence every day without escape. Her father is a religious nazi who is loved and adored by the community he lives in but behind closed doors depicts a different story of domestic violence and child abuse. One day one of the local children whom Joy is friendly with, Wendy Buscombe, goes missing. With years going by without a lead on a suspect Joy can’t find peace with the disappearance. Will Joy ever escape her father’s ruling hand and what will become of her brother and sister? Will Wendy’s unsolved disappearance ever be solved? Each turn of the page leaves you not wanting to put this book down as there are twists and turns that uncover more about this family’s history and hidden secrets. Unfortunately, the ending was a bit disappointing but the lead-up and the book throughout was well written and kept you at the edge of your seat. – Francis, NSW, 4 Stars
I was enthralled by The Silent Listener. Just when I thought I knew what was going on, the story added another ‘puzzle piece’ and I was back to guessing. This aspect of the story was probably what I liked most, given the content is largely about horrific domestic violence and oppression; the oppressive landscape, oppressive religion and what my nan would call a ‘house angel and street devil’ oppressive father. He’s a monstrous character, and I took some pleasure as Joy, his 11 year old daughter enacted tiny acts of revenge on him. As a crime mystery, I think this is a clever story, as a story of family, it’s heartbreakingly sad, and the end is something you won’t see coming. – Kim, WA, 4 Stars
Joy Hendersonville is nothing but a useless filthy sinner – or so her father tells her … Growing up in the heart of rural Australia, life could be harsh in so many ways. The Silent Listener effortlessly tells the story of the Henderson family, spanning across more than four decades, whilst the local Senior Constable attempts to unravel the biggest mystery to hit the town. This debut novel held me captivated from beginning to end, exploring so many themes which are just as relevant today as they were decades ago – family, friendship, truth, lies, domestic violence and mental health. – Tamara, VIC, 4 Stars
Blackburn population just over 600, a small outback country farming town where everyone appears as poor as each other. We are introduced to George and Gwen and their children Mark, Ruth and Joy. There are some real stomach-turning pages but the further you get into the book, the more twists and turns happen. There is for one…. the accident about Ruth that no one can talk about, really leaves you thinking about what is the dark mystery. Once you got over the first initial chapter then it really speeds up. A book worth reading if you like a dark mystery with lots of twists and turns. – Sue, NSW, 4 Stars
The Silent Listener by Lyn Yeowart is a novel full of threat and suspense. The action moves back and forward between three time frames, with each chapter focusing on the relationship between two of the main characters. It begins in the wartime 1940s when we meet George and Gwen who marry and move to an isolated farm in rural Australia. Life does not turn out for Gwen quite as romantically as she had hoped. Then come the 1960s, with George and Gwen’s children growing up in poverty (and fear) on the farm. Finally, in the 1980s, daughter Joy returns after many years away to look after her dying father. The writing is expert and the pace keeps you turning the pages, but always with growing dread as more information is woven into the story and we begin to draw our own conclusions about what is happening. Hints are given, clues dropped, distractions provided, but hanging over it all is the spectre of violence and the despair of those unable to escape it. It kept me reading but there was not much hope and little redemption (of an earthly kind anyway) to be had from this dark novel. – Susan, VIC, 4 Stars
I found The Silent Listener to be quite a disturbing and grim story. I’m not really sure what I think of it overall though – the constant switching between timelines was rather distracting to the story and I found the pace of the storytelling somewhat slow for my liking. It did pick up pace towards the end but, ironically, the ending seemed rushed and I felt that it left too many questions unanswered (eg. I would have liked to hear more of Mark’s story after he left for Darwin) – Natalie, NSW, 3 Stars
Lyn Yeowart’s debut novel delivers a tough, gritty tantalising mystery thriller. Set in the harsh Australian outback and involving the mysterious disappearance of a young child, it certainly takes readers on an unforgettable roller coaster ride of emotions. It ticked all the right boxes for me for what makes a great read. The storyline introduces readers to a struggling rural farming family and follows their harrowing journey during the 1940s, the 1960s and finally 1980s. Family members not only face hard times living off the land but continually live in fear of their abusive and cruel husband and father. This part of the story I found fascinating but also a little depressing. The characters in the story are not always likeable but Lyn Yeowart’s forceful and realistic writing really has you feeling the pain of the family and its community.The suspense slowly grows throughout the book and leads to a gripping finish. The clever twists and turns in the story kept me guessing about its final outcome right until the end. The pulsating, exciting and utterly surprise ending left me speechless and wanting more. Lyn Yeowart can be very proud of this book and I very much look forward to her follow up work! – Martin, QLD, 3 Stars
I believe this is the first book I’ve read where the protagonist appears to have a form of synesthesia. This unusual condition adds a surprising element to Lyn Yeowart’s story as Joy, the protagonist, explores the images, textures and colours that words create in her mind. Perhaps this helps Joy survive the horrors of her upbringing. Because there are horrors aplenty in the lives of the Henderson family, ruled with an iron fist by George, the terrifying, controlling, pious, all-seeing patriarch. The novel is a study of life on an isolated rural property, and the ongoing consequences of abuse being ignored and excused by the community. As the story unfolds, we learn about the far-reaching and ongoing effects George’s violence has on his wife and children, and the peripheral fallout. Rather than judging the characters, we gradually begin to understand the lengths they will go to to survive the unspeakable. Switching through different periods of time, Yeowart cleverly reveals nuggets of information, just enough to keep readers guessing until the last few pages. With its twists and turns, this is the sort of book you literally do not want to put down. – Kate, VIC, 3 Stars
While I enjoyed the story and the twist a the end, I found it a little difficult to get into. Perhaps it was the 3 different time periods in which the story was set. I also found it difficult to deal with the violence, physical and psychological. – Alice, NSW, 3 Stars
A dark grim story unfolds in the telling of a family’s secrets, dysfunction and disturbing relationships. The author recounts this slowly and expansively across three periods – 1942 1960 & 1983. This constant swapping of time across chapters can be a suspenseful medium but I wondered if necessary in this novel. The story speeds up towards the end as answers to the many family and community mysteries begin to resolve. The final twist is definitely unexpected. – Lisa, NSW, 2 Stars
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