The Bottom Line: An irresistible international crime thriller that delivers an intoxicating mix of mystery, murder and mayhem.
Life hasn’t come easy for identical triplets Claire, Megan and Boyd Deveraux. Adopted in Texas after their biological parents died in a car crash, Claire, who is also deaf, has worked hard to land her dream job as a foreign service officer stationed in Paris. But her new life is turned on its head when she finds a woman shot in the restroom at the Louvre and realizes she may have seen the killer enter moments earlier.
Meanwhile in Fort Worth, pharmacy tech Megan discovers that her boyfriend, Randy, is involved in a dispute over stolen diamonds. After her boyfriend ends up dead, Megan flees to Paris. Meanwhile, Boyd is taken by cartel members who believe Meagan has the diamonds, a situation that could mean death for the entire family.
In Every Silent Thing, author Alan Brenham does wonders with the concept of mistaken identity. Brenham sets this up early on, when Inspector Gagne admires the identical nature of Megan and Claire’s appearance. Gagne’s sexual innuendo is only implied, but Claire uses some spicy sign language to shut him down. As the story progresses and both twins find themselves in mortal danger, their physical similarities work both for and against them.
Thanks to a stunning first chapter, the novel grips from the get-go and never lets up. But Brenham, who is clearly dedicated to developing long-term character arcs, offers far more than crime-based suspense. The book’s last third evolves Megan’s character significantly, delivering a compelling and unexpected off-ramp to the troubled life she’s led back in Texas. This development sets the stage for the entire series and will leave readers eagerly anticipating Brenham’s next entry. Bravo.
