Say Nothing by Brad Parks
Read by George Newbern
Penguin Audio
Grade: B
There’s a conundrum that we lovers of mystery and thriller novels face, and that’s the fact that we know we are reading a mystery novel. We know the tricks and literary rules of mystery fiction. We see it from an outsiders perspective, know that that author is just as much a character in the book as the players and we often hold that perspective against the characters. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten frustrated with a character in a book, because, dammit, doesn’t he or she realize they are a character in a book! This was the problem I faced with Say Nothing. Throughout the book I wanted to yell at the main character (and may have actually yelled at him causing strange looks from those around me) because he was missing such obvious things that were plain to me, an outside observer who didn’t have any true emotional attachment to the other characters or the distraction of being worried about the fact that my children were kidnapped. I mean, come on dude….
That being said, Say Nothing is a top notch thriller that will keep you invested until the very end. It definitely relies heavily on the tropes on the genre and doesn’t break much new ground. There were definitely twists, many of which seasoned mystery readers will see coming but still appreciate their execution. There two small scenes of a child being tortured or injured which may be tough on readers, so beware, but they do serve the plot and are not just brutal exploitation. At times, you too will want to yell at the main character but this is just indicative of how invested you become in his plight.
George Newbern takes a workmanlike approach to this tale, which was appropriate. Say Nothing didn’t need any bells and whistles, no narrational gymnastics, just straight forward delivery. He keep the story moving, never getting it bogged down and just let the listener absorb themselves in the tale. If you’re looking for a solid mystery novel about ordinary people dealing with an extraordinary circumstances than Say Nothing fits that bill.
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