IndieReader has awarded Every Silent Thing, M.R. Madonna’s debut psychological suspense novel, a 5.0 rating and its IR Approved designation. In a review published on August 5, 2026, critic Lisbeth Ivies praises the novel’s emotional depth, intricate plotting, and assured prose, calling it “a technical triumph.”
The review focuses on the relationship between thirteen-year-old Levi and his mother, Maggie, whose alternating perspectives carry the story. Ivies describes their effect as “an emotional gut punch (or several)” and singles out the novel’s ability to draw readers into its characters’ lives while sustaining the tension of its unfolding secrets.
That praise extends to the writing itself. Ivies highlights Madonna’s word choice, pacing, and placement of clues, noting the contrast between the story’s difficult subject matter and the care of its prose. The review also recognizes the seriousness with which the novel treats abuse, acknowledging the intensity of those scenes without finding them gratuitous.
“EVERY SILENT THING demands to be read”
—Lisbeth Ivies, IndieReader, August 5, 2026
Read the full five-star review at IndieReader →
Every Silent Thing by M.R. Madonna will be published by Channel Street Books on October 13, 2026, in hardcover, ebook, and audiobook. Read about the book → · Pre-order here →
