When We Were Silent

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Description

In this gripping dark academia revenge thriller, a woman finally speaks out against her elite school, exposing decades of silence, corruption and abuse of power. "I'm not here for prestige. I'm here for revenge." Lou Manson is an outsider when she joins the final-year class at Highfield Manor, Dublin's most exclusive private school. Beyond the granite pillars and the wrought-iron gates is a world of wealth, privilege and potential. But Highfield is also hiding a dark secret - and Lou is here to expose it. When she befriends the beautiful and talented Shauna Power, her plans are thrown into turmoil. Speaking out against the school would mean betraying Shauna, and Lou soon discovers that the Highfield elite will go to any lengths to protect their own reputation . . . . . . Even when the consequences are fatal. Thirty years later, Lou is called to testify in a new lawsuit against Highfield. But telling the truth means confronting her past. And there is one story she swore she'd never tell . . .

Reviews

Fiona McPhillips captures the claustrophobic nuance of teenage loyalties, lies and privilege on every page. A twisting, turning dive into a web of long-buried secrets, When We Were Silent marks Fiona McPhillips as one to watch * Jane Harper, New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author of EXILES *
Suspenseful and beautifully written, this novel perfectly captures teenage intensity and anguish * The Guardian *
Secrets involving sexual abuse at an elite private school. Excruciating suspense. Well-written. Made me think of serial abuser/rapist Larry Nassar. * Stephen King *
I love a great literary psychological drama. I devoured Fiona McPhillips's debut, a lovechild of Tana French and Patricia Highsmith, but also totally original. Absolutely brilliant! * John Boyne, bestselling author of THE HEART'S INVISIBLE FURIES *
Tense and unsettling * New York Times *

Author Bio

Fiona McPhillips is an Irish journalist, author, and screenwriter, and an editor at The Forge literary magazine. When We Were Silent, the runner-up for the 2021 Crime Writers' Association Debut Dagger, is her first novel. Fiona lives in Dublin with her three kids, two cats, and a dog.