Review of A Soldier's Silence

[Stephanie Runyon]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "A Soldier's Silence" by T.C. Grantham.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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A Soldier’s Silence is a thriller involving Major Presley Giles, a military psychologist, who lives on a remote island. Presley lives in a secure house where she is paid to rehabilitate psychiatric patients after World War III. Colonel Weaver brings Presley a new patient and tells her, “Get what is in his head out of his mouth." They bring in Special Forces Major William Miller, handcuffed, blindfolded, and with a file that contains only three pages. After Weaver leaves, Presley tells William she won’t hurt him. She removes his bindings and leads him to a bathroom to clean up. She performs a medical exam and prescribes the emaciated man antibiotics. When she locks him in his cell, she sees he is overjoyed to sleep on a real mattress with a pillow and blankets. He never speaks a word.
 
Something more nefarious is unfolding when Colonel Weaver returns in two weeks and requires Presley to join him for dinner. Before she left, William was tapping on his cell wall. She recognizes the pattern as the Morse code stating, “Don’t go.” Weaver violently rapes Presley. William consoles Presley and starts speaking to her. However, the following day, he reverts to silence. How is Presley going to treat William?
 
T.C. Grantham’s A Soldier’s Silence is full of intrigue. The unpredictable plot is full of suspense that held me prisoner from start to finish. William’s file is a classic sniper file, but it also labels him as a war criminal. At first, I felt he fit the diagnosis of PTSD. Statistically, PTSD occurs in soldiers because of something they did instead of witnessing the horrors of war. Presley crosses over several rules of professional ethics. I could understand how Weaver’s violating her could cause emotional trauma because William provides her with a sense of security.

There was an issue I had with the story, especially since I am a veteran. The military would also never have a female doctor stay alone with a male patient. It was always required for two people of the same race and sex to be present at any meeting. I remember being called to witness a female soldier meeting with the captain of the battalion because he was male.
 
I was impressed with the unique idea of rehabilitating William. They accused him of being a war criminal, but his silence prevented him from being found competent to stand trial. The supporting characters add to the intrigue. I knew Weaver was evil, but the odd questions a medic asked Presley made me question their intentions. The actions of the guard, Hank, were unorthodox, and I couldn’t decide if he was trying to be helpful or not.

A Soldier’s Silence deserves a perfect rating of five out of five stars. Despite the issues mentioned above, it did not impede my enjoyment of the book. The story is professionally edited. I could immerse myself in connecting with each character. They were given exceptional detail about their personalities. Presley’s narration of the story added to the relatable feelings she expresses through her experiences.

I recommend A Soldier’s Silence to people who enjoy psychological thrillers. While there are instances of sexual assault, they are not given a lot of physical detail. The war violence may be disturbing to some readers. This is an emotional novel that will appeal to anyone who likes war novels, slow-burn romance, and action that fills every page.

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A Soldier's Silence
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[Chris Agbara]

The plot is indeed captivating and intriguing. I like war novels and certainly want to read this one. Great review.

[María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda]

T.C. Grantham’s A Soldier’s Silence is full of intrigue. The unpredictable plot is full of suspense that held me prisoner from start to finish. William’s file is a classic sniper file, but it also labels him as a war criminal. At first, I felt he fit the diagnosis of PTSD. Statistically, PTSD occurs in soldiers because of something they did instead of witnessing the horrors of war. Presley crosses over several rules of professional ethics. I could understand how Weaver’s violating her could cause emotional trauma because William provides her with a sense of security.

I didn't know this. So, for example, nurses in the war are less likely to get PTSD?

There was an issue I had with the story, especially since I am a veteran. The military would also never have a female doctor stay alone with a male patient. It was always required for two people of the same race and sex to be present at any meeting. I remember being called to witness a female soldier meeting with the captain of the battalion because he was male.

This blows my mind. I understand the sex part. I guess it's the same reason why there's a female nurse in my OBGYN consults. But the race part is something I never would have guessed.

I recommend A Soldier’s Silence to people who enjoy psychological thrillers. While there are instances of sexual assault, they are not given a lot of physical detail. The war violence may be disturbing to some readers. This is an emotional novel that will appeal to anyone who likes war novels, slow-burn romance, and action that fills every page.

I hate reading about sexual assaults, but slow-burn romances and psychological thrillers are two of my favorite genres.
Fantastic review, my friend!

[Stephanie Runyon]

Nurses can experience PTSD by assisting a doctor in surgeries like amputation or when they triage incoming patients because who to pick as a priority- the man that has several gunshot wounds or the child who has a head wound?
In the United States, if the supervisor is a white male and the employee is a black female, then a supervisor who is of the same race must be present so discrimination is not used..