Silent Sisters: A True Story

Written by:
Joe Cusack , Ann Cusack , Joanne Lee
Narrated by:
Melanie Crawley

Unabridged Audiobook

Ratings
Book
166
Narrator
46
Release Date
January 2020
Duration
8 hours 29 minutes
Summary
For over 20 years, Joanne Lee's mother kept the remains of three newborn babies hidden in her wardrobe. For the first time since exposing her mother's crimes, Joanne breaks her silence over her family's horrific ordeal.
Growing up, Joanne suffered at the hands of a violent boyfriend and controlling relatives, as her mother lapsed into a downward spiral following the break-up of her marriage. But the consequences of her mother's lifestyle turned out to be worse than Joanne could ever have imagined. She already knew about the baby buried in a shallow makeshift grave next to the family plot. But when Joanne came across a red plastic bin in her mother's wardrobe in 2009, she realised that the family home held an even more sinister secret. In Silent Sisters, Joanne will tell her story, detailing her struggle to understand her mother, to piece together the truth and give the four babies the proper burial they deserve.
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Reviews
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Anonymous

This was a good read. Keep on mind that this is a true story. For those who think this was boring, disturbing or predictable, stick with fiction. This story is about the life of a young girl all the way through to adulthood and all of the unfathomable things she had to deal with. How she dealt with and overcame them. She is amazing and so is her story.

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Anonymous

Gobsmacked with the story, can’t believe it’s a true story! Good though

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Latoya L.

A great read, it started off slow but once it got my attention I was hooked. And what gets me, it's a true story. When I say everyone shouldn't be allowed to have children I'm talking about mothers like Joannes. She liked being pregnant but that's it, she didn't have a motherly bone, nor cell in her body. The way she treated her children, the born and unborn is disgusting. She had a total of 7 kids, 3 live and 3 she kept in a bin in her room for years. The one (Helen) Joanne found and gave her a proper burial. Her mum even slept eith her boyfriend and he fathered one of her kids. This crazy heffa even tried to pin it on her on children. She changed her name so people wouldn't attribute her crimes to her. I'm happy Joanne pulled through all the trauma and showed her kids what a mother is supposed to be. Knowing what her mother did really messed her up. Joanne fought for her "Silent Sisters", she found out who their fathers we're, gave them names and laid them to rest. This book took me on an emotional roller coaster. There are truly some sick people in this world. #Book30of2021 #bookworm #whatsnext

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Charmane B.

This book is very sad and surprising. The one thing I did like about this book is how the ending summed up so much it didn't leave you guessing or needing more it wrapped up everything perfectly and it was very satisfying

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Sue K.

I found the story to be disturbing. The plot was weak and the story itself made you feel frustrated , it was so prodictable .

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Anonymous

What an incredible story, so we’ll written and so we’ll performed by the narrator.

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Anonymous

A great audible! Very easy to follow the characters. A wonderful story.

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Miss Biggun

A very touching story, it's surprising how they slipped through the Social Services net but with the mothers secrecy I'm not surprised, just so pleased they all now have their own happy families to enjoy and love

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Anonymous

Great listen. Really holds your attention

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Anonymous

Great. Very enjoyable despite the bleak theme.

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Nautasha Hoyle

Amazingly enthralling story. Narrator spoke smoothly without being boring.

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Anonymous

This kept me at the edge of my seat. Hard to believe it was true.

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Ann M.

Really enjoyed this book especially the inclusion of the grandparents and Son. Reminded me so much of my childhood being brought up on a deaf family

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Regine L.

A very disturbing read. It’s incredibly tragic that it is indeed a true story. Very gripping though, which meant that I listened to it every chance I got and worked through it quite quickly. It is rather shocking that child services were never called or involved while Joanne was growing up. I do find it rather hard to believe that at the age of ten that she was pretty much running the household; that teachers / neighbours / friends didn’t jump in and report her horrendous homelife and social services didn’t do anything, I find this very very odd and troubling. Personally, I felt that the book got a bit long once the court case and judgement was discussed, I felt that it should have ended there, the additional narrative would have made for a good second book. BUT, it does all tie very well together at the end. So, if you are getting a bit bored, hang in there.

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Anonymous

Amazing book. Such a heartbreaking story.

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Graeme B.

I really enjoyed this book.

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Anonymous

Wonderful story about not surviving but thriving! Great read

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Mary Pockrandt

Oh.....My.......Gosh!!! what a riveting story!

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Lenny McDoniel

incredible story. excellently narrated. The fact that it's based on a true story is chilling. My heart goes out to the family that lived through this. They are truly courageous.

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Tracy H.

Wow what a book. I honestly couldn’t stop listening. What a brave girl Jojo was. How she did what she did and looked after everything is mind blowing. What a women she deserves an award. Thank you for sharing your story xx

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Anna B.

Silent Sisters is not worth reading unless you are eager to learn about true stories, no matter how they are narrated. The characters are as shallow as the plot. The story, however, is absolutely devastating. The neglected children, addicted mother, and numerous boyfriends are incredibly unemotional. The story is just the sequence of life events: care of siblings, a drinking parent, household chores, teen pregnancies, miscarriages. Unfortunately this book fails to live up to expectations. It leaves you feeling cheated, because the story is truly atrocious, but the narration is tedious and unemotional.

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Laura Brown

Incredible story of overcoming shame, pain and guilt. I seriously could not put this book down. She takes you on a journey (her journey) you can't help grieving for her and yet, cheering her on. The amount of pain endured was brutal. The book is intense but soooooo good. The narrator was fabulous too!

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Debbie C.

Such a heart wrenching story told in a very understanding and personable way! Great listen.

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Cher S.

Sad story but the narrator held my attention. This is a sad story but good for people to read as it reminds you of the children who do not have good homes that may need help.

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Anonymous

Difficult to believe this actually happened

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BARBARA MCCLUSKEY

What a tragic story.. Narrated well. Written in the first person.

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