Losing her hearing in a tragic accident, nurse Amelia Winn suffers through two years of depression before rebuilding her life with the help of an assistance dog, only to find herself enmeshed in a fellow nurse's suspicious death.

Amelia is feisty, stubborn, sometimes rash but also a caring, thoughtful nurse. I enjoyed how she worked at making changes in her life while acknowledging the mistakes she’d made. I also liked her dog Stitch. But I didn’t like the times she did some very risky things that could put her in danger and she knew it. It just seemed like bad decisions. So I have mixed feelings but still generally liked it. ( )

Forty-year old Amelia Winn was a respected nurse in an Iowa hospital, where she worked in the emergency room for fifteen years. Subsequently, she specialized in treating victims of domestic abuse. Tragically, Amelia is severely injured when an unidentified driver intentionally barrels into her and a patient. Most of her wounds have healed, but the assault robbed Amelia of her hearing. In despair, she turns to alcohol to anesthetize her pain, and for the past two years, has been unemployed and estranged from her husband, David. Fortunately, the scenic beauty that surrounds Amelia's modest house is a source of comfort; she regularly goes paddle boating and kayaking with her loyal companion and service dog, Stitch.

"Not a Sound," by Heather Gudenkauf, who herself is hearing impaired, eloquently conveys Amelia's anguish and dejection. The good news is that she is starting to emerge from her depression. She is studying American Sign Language and reads lips, but when the speaker talks quickly and indistinctly, she cannot always decipher what he is saying. Amelia is sober and hopes to get a job in a local medical practice. One morning, while out on the river, Amelia finds the body of a former friend and colleague, Gwen Locke.

Gudenkauf's depiction of Amelia's plight is heartrending. Living without sound devastated Amelia to such an extent that she cut off contact with friends and family. However, with a killer at large, Amelia feels vulnerable, and she turns to Jake Schroeder--a detective and childhood friend--for advice and protection. Jake warns Amelia, a busybody who cannot resist playing amateur sleuth, to leave the investigating to him. The whodunit is conventional and predictable, and Amelia's ability to stay on the wagon without attending AA meetings regularly seems a bit far-fetched. However, readers will embrace this plucky heroine who learns that being deaf need not rob her of independence, fulfilling work, and meaningful relationships. Stitch is particularly appealing; he is arguably the most likeable and liveliest character in the book. ( )

Suspense

I listened to the audiobook. I liked the book but felt the author far too much time on what the main character was thinking instead of the actually murder itself. It took about 75% to get to the cat and mouse game. The main character makes giant leaps to conclusions that didn't really seem plausible to me. The ending was a bit thrilling and I like how it wound up. I just as t wish the author got into it a bit earlier in the book ( )

Loved, loved, loved this suspense book!!!

It would have been a thrill of a ride with Amelia in this book even without her loss of hearing, but that really amped up the suspense. I even dreamt about this book a few nights ago, my subconscious was trying to figure out whodunnit!

Amelia is a woman trying to make her way back from her own personal crisis when she stumbles upon the dead body of an old friend of hers, and the story twists and turns from there.

The author does a great job of interviewing characters and subplots to keep you guessing as to what will happen next, how Amelia will handle it, and who exactly is out to get her.
It kept me up late at night and is my favorite book of this author's, so far. ( )