Silent Lies

by M.L. Malcom and M.L. Malcolm

Book Overview

Silent Lies is a story of a boy born into poverty, who uses his amazing ability with languages to build a brilliant new life for himself. It is brimming with fascinating details about life among the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1563527502
• ISBN13: 9781563527500
• Release Date: October 2005
• Publisher: Longstreet Press
• Length: 326 Pages
• Weight: 1.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.4" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Action and romance between the great wars

As an avid fan of historical fiction, particularly the period between WWI and WWII, I found Silent Lies to be both riveting and highly enjoyable while maintaining scrupulous attention to historical detail. Although the novel is replete with intrigue, white knuckle adventure and spicy romance it does not do this at the expense of historical realism. The description of Europe and Shanghai during this exciting period is as interesting and compelling as the plot and the characters in the novel. This was truly a novel that I "couldn't put down" and am awaiting further sequels with great expectation. As the first novel of the author this is an almost miraculous accomplishment.

Fascinating...

"Silent Lies" is a fascinating blend of genres. There's a lot of fast-paced thriller-style action loaded with intrigue (war, international counterfeiting, murder, revenge, blackmail) and old-fashioned romance as well. Leo Hoffman meets Martha, the love of his life, the day before he has to flee to Shanghai, and she becomes the motivation for many of his choices afterwards, both good and bad. Creeping out, almost imperceptibly, from behind the suspense, drama, and passion are interesting moral questions, such as, can deception ever really protect the ones you love? I guess being able to put all that in one book is the difference between a good book and a great one, and "Silent Lies" is great. I really, truly, could not put this book down. In addition to memorable major characters, Malcolm has an amazing ability to create unforgettable minor ones too with just a few sentences (a waiter, an old Russian jeweler, a Chinese servant) and a talent for putting you completely in the scene, from the sights, smells, sounds, bit players, etc, without slowing the pace of the story down. Somehow her writing creates the feeling that you're watching a movie, not reading a book, and I found myself casting the characters in my head (Leonardo DiCaprio or Clive Owen as Leo? Scarlett Johansson as Martha?). By the time I'd finished this great romp, I realized how much fun I'd had, and how much I'd learned about a time and a place I knew practically nothing about when I picked up the book. The characters Malcolm created will be with me for a long time to come, and I can't wait to read the promised sequel!

A Solid Showing

I don't usually find myself reading either historical novels or romantic stories, but I'm glad I made an exception for Silent Lies. The writing is what grabbed my attention and held it throughout. M.L. Malcolm's words flow beautifuly, painting a stunning portrait of a troubled hero. Leo Hoffman has a gift for languages and uses this to lift himself out of poverty and, ultimately, to flee for his life to Shanghi during WWI. Malcolm's hero is one of the best I've encountered; he compromises his integrity out of his desire to protect his wife and daughter, as well as a desire to "better" himself. The imagery is breathtaking, from the gleam of a button, to Leo's heartbreak when leaving his beloved Martha. Silent Lies is, quite simply, a beautiful book. Let Malcolm take you to from Budapest to Paris to Shanghi. Let Leo Hoffman win your heart. Read Silent Lies; your only regret will be that the book has to end.

An amazing debut novel!

I love historical fiction and Silent Lies ranks up with the best of its genre. It is a page-turner from the first page, and all I can say now is that I hope the next book comes out soon. The story is great, the historical detail is incredible, and the ending leaves you wanting more.

A literate, highly enjoyable page-turner

"Silent Lies" is nearly impossible to put down. If you enjoy human drama on a sweeping scale, this novel has it all: action, intrigue, and passion played out among fascinating characters. ML Malcolm brings a breathless story to life with great skill as she transports us around the world from Europe to Asia to America during the war-boom-bust-war years of 1900-1940. I can't recall ever reading a novel where such a sweeping plot was delivered with such fluidity and concision. The pages practically turn themselves, and yet the many details of time and place that make the story live and breathe don't feel lost or rushed in the process. This is a remarkable achievement. Oh, and did I mention that the tale itself is fantastic? ML Malcolm has written a literate person's guilty pleasure. "Silent Lies" is a masterful combination of quality and fun and deserves great success. Buy it, and help to insure that a sequel comes soon. I can't wait!