The Weight of Silence

The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf
Adult New Book Display- Main Level – GUDENKAUF


Early one August morning Martin Gregory wakes up and realizes his 7 year old daughter, Petra, is missing from her bed. He wakes up his wife and they search high and low for Petra. They figure she must be next door at her best friend’s house. The Gregory’s go over to the Clark’s house. This is when Antonia Clark realizes that her daughter Callie is missing as well.

Callie and Petra are best friends which is quite unusual because they have nothing in common. Callie suffers from selective mutism. Petra understands Callie in a way that no one else does. As a result Petra is Callie’s voice, whether they are at school, on the playground or just playing like normal seven year old girls.

The sheriff is notified and soon the FBI is called in to look for the missing girls. The parents know the girls are in the woods that back up to their houses. The woods are a safe haven for the girls and Callie knows her way around the woods thanks to her brother Ben and her mother.

Despite their daughters being best friends the Clark’s and the Gregory’s are not very close. As tensions rise to find their daughters terrible family secrets are revealed including the one that caused Callie not to speak for three years.

Heather Gudenkauf writes a great tale of suspense. Each chapter being narrated by a different character really keeps the reader engaged in all that is going on while trying to find the missing girls, as well as exposing the reader to all the family dynamics and secrets of the Gregory’s and the Clark’s. This book will keep you enthralled until the very last page.