Cold Silence (Silence #4) by Freya Barker

ABOUT THE BOOK

Single motherhood to two teenage boys turns out to be far more challenging for Tessa Androtti than her brand-new job as detective for the Edwards County Sheriff’s Department. Especially, when the younger of her sons is keeping her up at night. Not only was the move from the big city supposed to give her a chance to build a new life away from lingering memories, but she had hoped it would be a positive change for her youngest, Remi.

However, just when she’s up to her eyeballs working on a recent violent murder, Remi gets himself into trouble again.

Trouble that appears to be connected to her investigation.

Lifetime resident of Silence, Clem Tanek, couldn’t be more surprised to find one of the new, pretty detective’s sons trespassing and stealing property from behind his auto repair shop. Despite his social awkwardness when interacting with the boy’s mother a few months ago, Clem can handle her kid just fine. Remi’s skills and interest in vehicles provide an opportunity to try and get the kid back onto the right track, without involving law enforcement. It also offers Clem a second chance with the new detective, hoping to make up for that disastrous first encounter.

But their path isn’t an easy one. Both have significant baggage, as one would expect from lives already half lived, and adapting to change can be a challenge. Particularly, when dealing with teenagers which, in this case, means wading into dangerous waters for both Tessa and Clem.

MY REVIEW

I’m a big fan of Freya Barker’s books, and I jumped at the chance to visit Silence, Washington, again. Clem and Tessa are like night and day, and they found themselves in a misunderstanding until her troubled son is caught in a dangerous situation that unexpectedly brings them all together.

Tessa is a single mom struggling to raise two teenage sons while working as a new detective in town. But things take a wild turn when her youngest son gets mixed up in something that lands him in hot water. Tessa is smart and committed to finding out who is putting her family in danger, and I love the attraction she feels for the local garage owner, Clem. He is such a reliable, patient guy who becomes a real grounding force not just for Tessa, but for her sons, too.

When a dead body pops up on the mountain, Tessa is thrown into the heart of the action. Not only does she have to dig deep into the investigation, but she also has to deal with family drama when her son, Remi, has a less-than-stellar run-in with Clem.

What I love most about this book is how beautifully the author captures the ups and downs of everyday life. Tessa and Clem’s struggles, their relationship ups and downs, and the way they handle extraordinary situations with a touch of humor and class are what drew me in. The twists and turns of the investigation add that extra spice, keeping me guessing the whole time, while watching Tessa and Clem fall deeper for each other.

If you’re looking for a read with relatable characters and a gripping storyline, I highly recommend reading this series. I can’t wait to see where the next book takes me.

Thank you to Ms. Barker for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.

Silence Series

1 Finding Silence (2025) – My review
2 Inside Silence (2025)
3 Guilty Silence (2026)
4 Cold Silence (2026)

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

USA Today bestselling author Freya Barker loves writing about ordinary people with extraordinary stories.

With forty-plus books already published, she continues to create characters who are perhaps less than perfect, each struggling to find their own slice of happy.

Recipient of the ReadFREE.ly 2019 Best Book We’ve Read All Year Award for “Covering Ollie, the 2015 RomCon “Reader’s Choice” Award for Best First Book, “Slim To None”, Finalist for the 2017 Kindle Book Award with “From Dust”, and Finalist for the 2020 Kindle Book Award with “When Hope Ends”, Freya spins story after story with an endless supply of bruised and dented characters, vying for attention!

Follow Freya on her website, Facebook, Facebook Group, Twitter, Instagram, Goodreads, Newsletter, Bookbub, TikTok, and YouTube.