Silenced is an almighty powerful and hard-hitting story, that is all too close, to how some of the cities and towns of Britain are these days. The Skull Crew rule the streets of North London and cannot be seen to have any weaknesses. Then the daylight murder of a young teenage girl on her way home from school rocks the community, but everyone is staying quiet about the attack. Because if you don’t keep quiet, then the Skull Crew with permanently shut you up. It isn’t just a story about senseless murder and the fear that a gang can instil into communities. It looks at it from both sides and how recruits are groomed into this lifestyle. There are two young teenagers, that are both struggling at home. Luke, after the death of his mum and, Jez whose mum is an alcoholic. They have slipped under the radar of being vulnerable. Then they find each other. DCI Callum Waverly is in charge of the case, he has a lot to prove. It is his first appointment, and secondly, he has a hidden past himself. It makes for a page-turning read that never lets up. The fear feels very real, and the situation is like something you will see on page 7 of your local paper because it happens all too often. What a stunning story this is! Jennie Ensor brings a dash of realism to every chapter, with horrific realistic acts of graphic violence. It is heartbreaking. V, the lead character of the Skull Crew, is terrifying, a man who will follow up on promises. Is anyone brave enough to tell the truth? A stunning story by this author, her best yet, in my opinion, and highly recommended, but do be warned you feel like you are there, and it will stay with you. I wish to thank the publisher for an e-copy of this book, which I have reviewed honestly.

I really don’t know where to start with this review. If I could give it 10 stars I would. So relevant, insightful, heart-wrenching & real - I’m worn out. The book starts with the murder of a teenage girl. In broad daylight. On her way home from school. No one is talking. Written from the perspective of the troubled detective leading the investigation, this book delves into the gang culture permeating an inner city London estate. The depth of research is evident as you are drawn in to the young lives of gang members who feel the world is against them & crime is the only path left to follow. Listen to their stories; their background. Don’t judge. This is not an easy read, you are constantly on alert & the edginess of the characters & plot give you no respite. But despite all that, you have to read it. Just brilliant.

For most of us, reports in the newspapers and on the television about the fatal stabbing of a young person and possible links with gangland culture feel far-removed from the realities of our day to day lives. However horrified we may feel when we first become aware of the latest senseless loss, how much ongoing thought do we then give to what might have motivated the violence, to the impact on victim’s family, friends and the local community, or to the ensuing police investigation? I cannot imagine that anyone who reads Jennie Ensor’s deeply disturbing, but utterly convincing, novel about the intimidating, terrifying nature of gang culture, the grooming of vulnerable young people and the difficulties the police face when trying to investigate these crimes, will ever again be able to read these headlines without giving thought to the human stories behind them. The story is told through the first-person narratives perspectives of the three main characters: teenagers Luke and Jez and Callum, the police officer in charge of investigating the apparently motiveless killing of fifteen-year-old Solita. This was an attack which took place in broad daylight, and in view of plenty of witnesses, but the conspiracy of silence within the community, the fear of retribution from members of the Skull Crew, frustrates Callum’s efforts to bring the perpetrators to justice. Solita’s mother knows who’s responsible but, not even for her dead daughter, dare she expose them – the gang’s power is absolute. For anyone who has never had to face this level of intimidation, this conspiracy of silence is probably difficult to understand, let alone empathise with but, by giving her three narrators such distinctive, authentic voices, the author enables the reader to live inside their worlds, to follow the thought-processes which determine their behaviour, to gain insights into just how easily vulnerable youngsters can be exploited and to understand how difficult it can sometimes be for people to ‘do the right thing’. Although Luke and Jez’s reasons for becoming members of the Skull Crew were very different, what they had in common was a sense of anomie, something which made them vulnerable to being ‘expertly’ groomed by unscrupulous adults. Through their eyes I was drawn into the apparent inevitability of the decisions they were making, able to understand how their desperate need to belong, to feel loved and accepted, drew them deeper and deeper into a violent world they could see no escape from. By giving them such powerful voices the author made me care about them to such an extent that, even though I knew I was absolutely powerless to change the outcomes she’d already mapped out for them, I found myself desperately wanting to protect them from their self-destructive behaviour. Callum’s narrative was equally compelling, allowing me insights into the challenges he faced during the investigation as he attempted to gain the trust of witnesses, to begin to break the gang’s influence on the community (and even on some corrupt members of the police team) and to protect any ‘whistle-blowers’. With his gradual revelations about the extent to which traumatic events from his childhood continue to haunt him, to shape his behaviour as an adult and which have contributed to the fraught relationship he has with his son, I felt similarly drawn into his inner-world. Without going into any detail, it gradually becomes clear that one of the reasons he is able to empathise with Luke’s predicament is because there are certain parallels in their experiences which force him to face some uncomfortable truths. As I want to avoid spoilers, I can’t give the context of one of his observations towards the end of the story … that some people are punished for things they haven’t done, whilst others never are for things they did … but in many ways his reflection encapsulates a theme which runs through this story – that for some people the odds are stacked against them and that true justice is often elusive. All the time I was reading it was obvious that in order to have written such a multi-dimensional and convincing story which, however horrifying at times, never felt over-exaggerated, the author must have done considerable research into all aspects of this subject. The brilliance of her ability to convey how individuals and a whole community can be so effectively terrorised and silenced meant that as I was reading I found little respite from an escalating sense of tension. It’s not often that a novel engenders such a visceral sense of fear in me, but her portrayals of vicious, sadistic gang members were so convincing that there were moments when I felt terrified of them and could understand why witnesses were reluctant to come forward … it certainly made me question whether I’d have found the courage to do so. This hard-hitting, hauntingly sad, thought-provoking and totally unforgettable novel would be an ideal choice for book groups … and I think it should be essential reading for police officers and social workers!

“Silenced” is the second book I’ve recently read, published by ‘Hobeck’ books, that has had me stunned within the first chapter. I truly wasn’t expecting what happened and predominantly set the dark and gritty tone for the rest of this emotionally packed crime thriller. Throughout, I constantly had my heart in my mouth which proved that this thriller had a powerfully poignant and hard hitting storyline. Gritty, dark but sadly all too true to life, “Silenced” isn’t for the faint hearted but is a genuine reflection on how vulnerable young kids are being targeted by gangs for recruitment. The officer in charge of the case involving the death of Solita Milton is DI Callum Waverley and it is his first major case as an SIO. Fighting his own demons from the unusual death of his father and his difficult relationship with his son Brendan, Callum is forced to admit his psychological issues and secrets, which have frighteningly parallel similarities to Luke, a troubled teenager embroiled in the ‘Skull Crew’ gang’s crime. It’s clearly obvious that the author, Jennie Ensor has carried out some intense research into the world of violent urban gangs, particularly in North London and how vulnerable teenagers of both sexes are being exploited by gangs, the attractiveness of gang culture and leaving gang life behind. I for one, think differently about the younger members of these gangs now and I believe that the author has succeeded in portraying the inner lives of urban gangs and it’s teenage members. Not forgetting the police striving to close down these violent gangs, Jennie also managed to show life from the side of frustrated authorities, fighting against silence and secrets, fear of betrayal and corrupt officers. Told from various character voices, enabling their innermost thoughts to be conveyed and to fully get into the mindset of troubled teenagers, I was literally gripped from start to finish with this edgy, frightening and realistic thriller. Excellent work from Jennie Ensor and I’d happily recommend this compelling and brutally truthful book. Living in North London with an Irish heritage, Jenner Ensor writes psychological suspense and crime thrillers covering controversial topics. “Silenced” is her fourth novel. Thank you to Rebecca Hobart at Hobeck books for inviting me on this blog tour and for a copy of the book in return for an honest opinion. #SILENCED - 4.5 stars