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The Weight of Silence (Paperback)


Mira Books, 9780778327400, 384pp.

Publication Date: July 28, 2009


August 2009 Indie Next List “The Weight of Silence is a suspenseful story of two girls who go missing that will have you turning pages late into the night, but, beyond this, it is a heartrending story of emotional ties told with gently lyrical language that belies brutal truths.”
— Beth Simpson, Cornerstone Books, Salem, MA


When two little girls disappear in the night, the truth about what happened lies in the words they cannot speak.As dawn's shimmering light drenches the humid Iowa air, two families wake to find their little girls have gone missing. There's seven-year-old Calli Clark, a sweet, gentle dreamer who suffers from selective mutism brought on by a tragedy that pulled her deep into silence as a toddler, and Petra Gregory, Calli's best friend, her soul mate and her voice.Desperate to find their children, Calli's mother, Antonia, and Petra's father, Martin, are forced to confront dark truths about the role each of them may have inadvertently played in the girls' disappearance. Inextricably tied together, these two families are trapped in the silence of unspoken family secrets. Will they find their daughters before it's too late?Heather Gudenkauf's bestselling and groundbreaking debut is a gripping novel packed with dark secrets and deep emotion. This chilling tale of two families' desperate search will linger long after the final page is turned.


Heather Gudenkauf graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in elementary education and for the past sixteen years has worked with elementary children. Currently, along with writing, Heather is an Instructional Coach, an educator who provides teachers with curricular, student, and professional development support. Heather lives in Dubuque, Iowa with her husband and children. In her free time Heather enjoys spending time with her family, reading, and running.

Praise For The Weight of Silence…

"The Weight of Silence is a tense and profoundly emotional story of a parent's worst nightmare, told with compassion and honesty. Heather Gudenkauf skillfully weaves an explosive tale of suspense and ultimately, the healing power of love."

- #1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Wiggs

"Deeply moving and exquisitely lyrical, this is a powerhouse of a debut novel."

-New York Times bestselling author Tess Gerritsen on The Weight of Silence

"Beautifully written, compassionately told, and relentlessly suspenseful."

-New York Times bestselling author Diane Chamberlain on The Weight of Silence

"Gudenkauf's scintillating second suspense novel...slowly and expertly reveals the truth in a tale so chillingly real, it could have come from the latest headlines."

-Publishers Weekly on These Things Hidden, starred review

"One Breath Away takes the reader on an electrifying ride that is, by the end, both terrifying and satisfying. I dare you to forget it."

- New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Flock

"I have burns on my fingers from turning the pages too fast. Don't miss it. This is her best yet!"

-New York Times bestselling author Lesley Kagen on One Breath Away

"Gudenkauf...keep[s] the tension high and the reader glued to the pages."

-Publishers Weekly on One Breath Away
