"Powerful and provocative, this gripping police procedural set in a small community in Ireland during 1980 is highly recommended by our team."
Joining our LoveReading Star Books, this thought-provoking and oh-so readable crime novel contains a twisting plot and fabulous cast. A new born baby is murdered and left among sand dunes, Garda Mary Shea is one of the first on the scene and finds herself assisting the Dublin major crimes lead as they desperately search for answers.
Author Anna McPartlin handles this story with beautiful consideration and compassion, noting that while it is fictional, it contains echoes of a true murder. The setting is not so long ago, yet feels like a different time as rampant misogyny and homophobia run riot through the police force. The sense of place and time carried me to Ireland in 1980, the community feel, the invasion of the city police, all ensured an essential energy.
Mary Shea is a compelling main character, I immediately felt at home with her as she battled to find her place. The supporting characters offer different shades in their personalities, which ensured my interest was always piqued, and my feelings about them took a while to settle. The story pierces and provokes, it is so painful on a number of levels, and yet there is a beautiful balance on display here.
The writing enables you to soak up the sorrow, to contemplate the words and essence of the tale. While emotionally challenging, The Silent Ones is a memorable and powerful novel I can highly recommend.

One cold January morning in 1980, on a beach in Kerry, the body of a newborn baby is found in its most sheltered sand dune. Local Garda Mary Shea is first on the scene.
| Primary Genre | Crime and Mystery |
| Other Genres: | |
| Recommendations: |
Win Alexander McCall Smith's The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Series So Far!
Closing date: 30/09/2026
Win a Pair of Tickets to Agatha Christie’s The Hollow at a Venue of Your Choice.
Closing date: 15/10/2026
The murder of an innocent shakes Ireland to its core. One cold January morning in 1980, on a beach in Kerry, the body of a newborn baby is found in its most sheltered sand dune.
The Silent Ones features in the following genres: Audiobooks of the Month, Books of the Month, Recommendations, Star Books, Crime and Mystery, Crime and mystery: police procedural, Crime and mystery: women sleuths, Narrative theme: Death, grief, loss, Narrative theme: Sense of place, Narrative theme: Social issues
Paperback, Audiobook. £8.99, down from the £9.99 cover price. In Stock.
The Silent Ones was written by Anna McPartlin and published by Canelo Crime an imprint of Canelo
The Silent Ones has 320 pages
Yes it is part of The Mary Shea Murders series
£8.99, reduced from £9.99. In Stock.