The Silence of Murder by Dandi Daley Mackall

This is a story about the murder of John Johnson, the beloved baseball Coach of the High School . Jeremy Long is accused of the crime, and he is put in jail. Deep down Jeremy loves the Coach, and later finds out the coach is his biological father he never knew. The Coach got Jeremy a job cleaning stables, and grooming horses. Later we find the coach dead in the horse stables. Immediately the Sheriff and the town's people accuse Jeremy for the murder. The reason for this accusation was Jeremy's blood was found on the baseball bat, and on the uniform Jeremy used. The Court session begins, and the coach's wife Caroline Johnson gives her testimony about her husband's murder. People on the jury think she might have murdered her husband for the insurance money she will collect. Another suspect, is Chase, who got in a rage because he didn't get the position on the baseball team he wanted. One person we have not mentioned is Hope, Jeremy's sister who always had faith in Jeremy. I recommend this novel, it has a lot to offer to the reader.

12/28/11 LRD

My view of the book:

Three years ago Hope, Jeremy, and Rita moved back to Grain, Ohio. Jeremy has not spoken a word in 9 years. He collects empty jars, which seems strange to everyone but Jeremy. After they move back the Coach gave Jeremy a job cleaning the stables near the Coach's home. They bonded, and the Coach let Jeremy help out with carrying equipment on baseball game days. He even bought Jeremy a wooden bat and a uniform to make him feel like part of the team. On the morning of June 11th, Jeremy is seen running from the barn with a bloody wooden bat and blood on his uniform. Mrs. Johnson finds her husband's body, and Jeremy is arrested for murdering Coach Johnson. The trial has gone on for most of the summer and only after Hope, Jeremy's sister, has testified is she allowed to be in the courtroom for the rest of the trail. Jeremy's lawyer is trying to make the jury believe that he is insane, and goes to jail instead of receiving the death penalty. Hope is the only one who truly believes her brother is innocent. With the help of her friend T.J. and Chase, the son of the Sheriff, they begin to discover what really happened the morning of June 11th. Hope and T.J. search the Coach's office and discover checks made out to Rita. They also find out that the Coach and Rita dated back in high school. As things look grim for Jeremy some surprising evidence comes to light, which could prove what Hope has said all along that Jeremy did not murder the Coach.

I enjoyed the book. The title was what first caught my attention. As you read the book you get wrapped up in the trial and you the reader try to figure out who murdered the Coach. It was like watching a court show on TV only with words instead of actors and sets. There are a few red herrings, and that makes things a little more interesting. I didn't figure out who the murderer was until the book revealed who it was. Even then I was a bit surprised. I do like it when a book surprises me like this one did.

T.B. 1/5/12