Such Quiet Girls by Noelle W. Ihli – Book Review

I have been looking forward to reading this book since I first heard about it. When I saw it on NetGalley, I jumped on the chance to read this and review it. Luckily, I was approved. Knowing that this was inspired by true events, the Chowchilla kidnapping story made it even more haunting. This book shook me to my core. From the very first page, you can feel the tension. Although this book is a thriller, it’s not about the thrills. It’s about the trauma, their survival, and the quiet strength that people summon when they’re trapped.

I always laugh when people, when authors put a character saying they let out a breath they didn’t know they were holding. I literally did not breathe for the last five chapters, and then I let out a breath I definitely knew I was holding. Jess’s character had so much dimension to her. I was tentatively rooting for her, but waiting for the ball to drop with news, but I didn’t know what it was going to be. I knew there was more to her story, and Ihli gives you breadcrumbs to it throughout the entire story. I love the multiple points of view from the bus driver to the children, and even the kidnappers. The pacing is perfection, if you don’t want to have anything to do for the day except read this book, which is what I did, it grips you from the first page, and it does not let you down. Every moment in this book counts and it never drags. This is one of those books that you can’t let go. I sat here after I read it for a good half hour just in a book coma. It was hard to move on with life.

On a personal note, the sad story of the grandfather with Alzheimer’s really touched me. Not only have I had family members with Alzheimer’s, I also have a husband with multiple sclerosis and his memory is failing. So much of the book just hit me hard in the feels. I experienced every range of emotion in this book, from anger to sadness to elation. I cheered, I cried, and I cannot recommend it enough. Such Quiet Girls is such a powerful mix of true crime inspiration and fiction that grabs your emotions as much as your nerves. Ihli creates raw, believable characters that make you care deeply about what happens to them. If you’re looking for a thriller that delivers, this one absolutely does.

The Vibes it Brings

🚌 School bus gone terrifyingly wrong
🧠 Psychological tension with emotional depth
👩‍👧 Parental grief and fierce protection
😱 Buried alive nightmare fuel
🕯️ Grit, guilt, and quiet resilience
🚨 Based on chilling true events
🕵️‍♀️ Claustrophobic survival suspense
📖 Quick chapters that pull you deeper
💥 High-stakes with real heart