Book Review: Silent Key by Laurel Hightower

Silent Key is a story of complications. Complicated relationships, complicated secrets, complicated hauntings. At its heart is Cam, a newly single mother whose husband, Tony, died under highly unusual circumstances. Alongside Cam, he leaves behind their young daughter, Samantha, a mistress, and a second life Cam was completely unaware of. To escape the pain of loss and betrayal, she packs up Sam and her adopted Russian gangster brother, Dimi, and heads to her late uncle’s old homestead in Texas. Their new start, however, is tangled with a dark past that refuses to stay buried.

One of my favorite Hightower traits is her characters, and they continue to shine in this latest addition to her library. Cam is tough as nails with a vulnerable streak, willing to do anything for her daughter while struggling to overcome Sam’s emotional barriers set up by Tony both before and after his death. Dimi is a standout for me, the gruff brother figure always lurking in the background. What’s in his hand? Might be a gun, might be a My Little Pony toy. Probably best to figure it out from a distance.

Hightower never fails to tug at the heartstrings while crafting an atmosphere weighted with creepiness. The ghosts that follow the family are spooky and heartbreaking in turn, but I won’t say more to avoid spoilers. You experience Cam’s grief alongside her, trying to reconcile the man she thought she married and the one she buried. I got so frustrated at times as she fought to connect with her traumatized daughter, only to discover yet another wall erected between them by Tony. Basically what I’m saying is Dimi needed to hold Tony down while Cam gave him endless wedgies.

This was my third book by Hightower, the previous two being Whispers in the Dark and Below, and I think it edged out Whispers to be my favorite from her yet. I’m a sucker for strong leading lady, healthy platonic friendships, and mysterious hauntings, so this was a triple threat from the get go. Combined with Hightower’s effortless storytelling, there was no way I could give it anything less than five stars.