Don't Breathe a Word

A Novel

By: Jennifer McMahon

Narrated by: Lily Rains

On a soft summer night in Vermont, 12-year-old Lisa went into the woods behind her house and never came out again. Before she disappeared, she told her little brother, Sam, about a door that led to a magical place where she would meet the King of the Fairies and become his queen.

Fifteen years later, Phoebe is in love with Sam, a practical, sensible man who doesn't fear the dark and doesn't have bad dreams - who, in fact, helps Phoebe ignore her own. But suddenly the couple is faced with a series of eerie, unexplained occurrences that challenge Sam's hardheaded, realistic view of the world. As they question their reality, a terrible promise Sam made years ago is revealed - a promise that could destroy them all.

©2011 Jennifer McMahon (P)2011 HarperCollins Publishers

Still scared to turn out the lights...

What made the experience of listening to Don't Breathe a Word the most enjoyable?

Just when you think you completely understand what's going on, a kink gets thrown into the plot and you start to doubt everything you know so far. It's an addicting mystery and it kept me lying on the cough listening to what was supposed to be entertainment for my commute.

Have you listened to any of Lily Rains’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I haven't heard her other performances, but she does a great job. Nothing ruins a book more than a bad narrator- Lily Rains gave all the characters their own voice, and the overall narrative a great delivery.

Who was the most memorable character of Don't Breathe a Word and why?

Lisa, hands down. I still can't decide if there was a supernatural element to the book or not , but I do want to reach into that book and take that girl somewhere safe. Both Lisa and Evie- it's one of those stories where you start out witnessing the train wreck and spend the rest of it wanting to let everyone know what's waiting for them if they keep on.

Any additional comments?

I wish the ending were different, the only reason I gave it 4 instead of 5 stars, but the rest of the book was great, and my thoughts on the ending aren't negative enough to stop me from recommending it.

Second time through and still amazing!!!

I read this book quite a few years ago and have been itching to read it again. So I’ve been listening to it at work and I seriously forgot how good and creepy and f*ed up this book is!! If you’re into psycho-thriller/fantasy/weirdness then I think you’ll enjoy it.

Good story, narrator should not do voices.

Is there anything you would change about this book?

The ending was a let down. Not necessarily because it wasn't a neat tidy happy ending but in the end, but circumstances didn't unfold to solve the book - it was explained in way too much narrative. I would have liked to see a better, well put together ending.

Would you be willing to try another book from Jennifer McMahon? Why or why not?

Yes, I liked many elements of the story.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

By far, not the worst I have heard, but i find it extremely distracting and irritating when narrators try to do voices.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

No - too scary! Ha.

Twists and turns the whole way through!

I really enjoyed this book. I found myself listening to it with every spare minute that I had! It had me hooked early on and didn't let go until the end. So many twists in the story made it hard to stop listening! I love this book and highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good mystery.

This book was great.....until the end.

I really enjoy this author. This book seemed fantastic, but then the end was thrown together, messy.

Reality crossing over into fantasy

I like a story of reality crossing over into fantasy and back again, but this one left me wanting more. The last scene was like the last scene in a horror movie, but it didn't leave me breathless. With that being said, I enjoyed the storyline, premise and most of the characters. McMahon kept my attention. Overall, I enjoyed this book.

good, but unfinished!

Is there anything you would change about this book?

The ending....I dont like that "left hanging" feeling at the end of a book!

If you’ve listened to books by Jennifer McMahon before, how does this one compare?

I have not listened to, but I have read "Promise Not to Tell" and "The Island of Lost Girls" and really enjoyed them. They ended with complete and surprising explanations!

Do you think Don't Breathe a Word needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

Yes, because I need to find out if Phoebe is crazy and made all this up in her head or if someone really switched her baby!

“Think of me. Remember me. Love me.”

What made the experience of listening to Don't Breathe a Word the most enjoyable?

Being drawn into the story, gripping, wanting, no needing to know more.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Lisa, for her never-ending belief and sacrifice for it.

Which character – as performed by Lily Rains – was your favorite?

All of them, she did well with all the variables.

Who was the most memorable character of Don't Breathe a Word and why?

Lisa and The King of the Fairies ..Lisa for her naivety and unfaltering faith and The King for his guise and twisted reality developed at the hands of twisted fate.

Any additional comments?

Good narration, Great dark story. I love the twists and the ability of this story to completely pull you in and leave you cringing.

Perfectly creepy story, kept me guessing till the end and Great narrator.

This is the 2nd book I’ve read from Jennifer McMahon. The 1st book is still my favorite “The Winter People”, but “Don’t Breathe a Word” is a great story. It kept me guessing till end. Her stories are creative, and perfectly creepy. And Lily Rains is a wonderful narrator. Beautiful voice, and just enough range to differentiate characters to easily follow the story, but not distract from it.
Jennifer is my new favorite writer and I’ll be reading “The Uninvited” next!

Engaging

This was an easy to listen to story with an engaging plot. The narrator does a solid job and the story kept me guessing and had a nice twist at the end.