"A bit of history and a bit of mystery" - Tara

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1952:  A small Kentish village seemingly little affected by the war years.

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11-year-old Josie, dumb from birth and who communicates through her writing, is on the verge of puberty and life if the wider world.  It is a time of childhood innocence.  She and her twin brother, Mitch, are thrilled when an American teacher arrives at their village school, suspecting him of being their long-lost father.

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Together with their two best friends they set about collecting evidence for their suspicions but soon find themselves embroiled in deeper, darker secrets which land Josie in a life-threatening situation.

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As childhood recedes and mature thought begins to surface, Josie, who tells the tale, realises that she is not the only one who has been unable to speak.

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Click here, or comment below, to contact us for a review copy of The Silence of Knowing

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"The author has perfectly captured the mood of the early fifties and the innocence of childhood without ever being sentimental and yet poses questions we might still reflect on as adults.  Her characters are beautifully portrayed... Very cleverly written." - Amazon Customer

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About the Author

Jenny Jackson was born in the north of Kent, UK a few months after the end of World War II.  Happily married for over 50 years now and with two children and two grandchildren, Jenny currently resides in East Sussex.

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Having worked in a comprehensive school for over 20 years, Jenny is now a volunteer for a local charity that works with adults with learning difficulties.

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She belongs to local writing group, Shorelink, and enjoys walking in the countryside with friends.

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Jenny claims an addiction to strong tea, but hates coffee, and is annoyed as the way the passage of time is definitely speeding up.

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The Silence of Knowing is Jenny's first published book.

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More Praise for The Silence of Knowing

"As soon as I started this well written and engrossing book I was hooked!  I initially approached it as a potential class reader but very soon was just enjoying it as a complicated yarn of great merit.  More to follow, I hope." - Mike Dixon

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"A short story about a group of children in the 1950s trying to solve a mystery in their village involving their teacher, a homeless man and their own father.  Very reminiscent of the Famous Five books and a well written, enjoyable read." - Avid Reader

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"Entertaining... packed with images and memories of childhoods that many of us might have had." - Anthony J Berry

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Click here, or comment below, to contact us for a review copy of The Silence of Knowing

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Excerpt From the Book

The rest of the week was uneventful and on the following Sunday we went to Sunday school as usual and most of our friends went too, although not Cora as she was a Catholic.  Graham Parker said we were sent to Sunday school not because we ought to learn about Jesus but because our mothers wanted us out of the way while they cooked the Sunday roast.  Whatever the reason, I liked it.  The vicar was very old and quite deaf but our Sunday school teacher, Mrs. Clay, was a warm and cuddly sort of lady who had no children of her own.  Even so, she was very good at telling us stories.  Even the boys listened without fidgeting.  That morning it was the story of the Good Samaritan who had stopped to help a badly injured man.

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"And," Mrs. Clay finished, "we have some Good Samaritans of our very own, don't we?"

Everybody turned to look at us.  I was expecting the others to pull faces and whisper "teacher's pet" but nobody did.

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Mitch said, almost carelessly, "Anybody would have helped him."

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"I should hope so," said Mrs. Clay, "but it happened to be you three and Cora.  Well done; but for you old Jim may well have died."

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I felt a bit guilty then, remembering how we'd thought Stinky was dead and the time we took before we got help and I could see by the blush on both Mitch and Johnny's faces that they had had the same thought.

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Then Graham asked the one thing that was on all our minds.

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"Who do you think attacked him, Miss?"

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Mrs. Clay regarded us thoughtfully.

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"I have no idea," she said, "but I know this.  God knows and it is up to him what he does about it so don't you go playing detectives.  You don't want to get yourselves into trouble."

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When Sunday school was over, Mrs. Clay called the three of us to her.

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"I meant what I said.  I know you found Jim so it's your adventure but let it go now.  Remember the Good Samaritan.  He knew he couldn't take care of the injured man so he left him to someone who could."

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Mitch bristled a bit on Cora's behalf as she always claimed she knew a lot of first aid, until Mrs. Clay added, "You know, the Good Samaritan never tried to find out who had injured the man.  Sometimes, however curious we are, we have to leave things be."

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She knew us well.  If only we had taken her advice.

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