“I really loved it…It’s a very moving book”

Jo Whiley, Radio 2 Book Club

‘Written with the emotional resonance of a lifelong storyteller and the compassionate heart of a dear friend The Silent Treatment is a careful study of love, identity and compassion.’

BookReporter

‘You won't be able to put down this tender and heartbreaking read.’

Cyan Turan, Cosmopolitan

‘This is a beautifully written and compelling novel that enthralled us from beginning to end. Frank and Maggie feel so real and their moving story is simple, but powerfully told. The reason for Frank’s silence is finally revealed in the last few pages - and it’s utterly devastating.’

Heat Magazine

‘An emotional and beautifully written debut.’

Fabulous Magazine, The Sun on Sunday

‘We read this beautiful book in one go.’

Closer

‘Never over-laboured, Abbie Greaves’ sharp, precise prose is taut with emotion (warning: there will be tears). This powerful and moving debut is a nuanced examination of parenthood, relationships and loneliness with the unforgettable story of Frank and Maggie pulsing at its heart.’

Apple Books

“It’s a little gem.”

Sam Baker

‘I adored this powerful, heartbreaking tale that highlights the importance of communicating, no matter how hard that might be.’

Natasha Harding, The Sun (Book of the Week)

“Abbie Greaves will make you fall in love with Frank and Maggie’s story – which is truly one for the ages. Just keep a box of tissues to hand, because you’ll need to dab your eyes when that final page turns.

CultureFly

‘The Silent Treatment is an empathetic, beautifully written exploration of relationships and family dynamics that will resonate with fans of Jojo Moyes, David Nicholls and Gail Honeyman. With an overwhelming sense of emotional tension and an underlying air of suspense and mystery, this cleverly structured and superbly moving story will touch the hardest of hearts.’

The Express

“Promises a twisting plot that will reveal hidden secrets and unspoken events.”

Stylist

‘Written with assurance and agonising insight, the characters of Maggie and Frank will stay with me for a long time’

Daily Mail

‘Abbie Greaves’ debut novel is a must-read - the moving story of a long marriage beset by challenges Frank and Maggie had never envisaged they would have to face. Abbie Greaves may be only 27, but she’s definitely an author to watch.’

The Sunday Express

“Fabulous”

Simon Mayo

“Subtle...hard-hitting...thought-provoking”

Candis Magazine

A remarkable debut which doesn’t go where you expect it to go. I very much look forward to seeing what she writes next.

Jojo Moyes

“An original and moving debut from a talented new voice”

Santa Montefiore

“The premise alone had me, but the book itself is just heartrendingly lovely. It’s beautiful, so moving and clever. I truly adored it”

Josie Silver, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of One Day in December

‘Such stunning prose, and such insight for a debut author… I was bowled over by Abbie’s writing.’

Clare Mackintosh

“Greaves finds extraordinary in the ordinary, carefully pulling apart this seemingly happy marriage to reveal the guilt and desperation that lie beneath. Frank and Maggie’s struggle to define themselves when life doesn’t meet their expectations is full of intensity and emotion, their love for one another the only constant. With the sincerity and hope of Tayari Jones' An American Marriage (2018) and the thoughtful, circumspect snapshots of marriage in Lauren Groff's Fates and Furies (2015), Greaves' debut depicts the many joys and sorrows that make up a marriage.”

Booklist

“Cleverly structured and beautifully written, this novel celebrates love, hope - and the importance of finding the right words. ”

Lucy Diamond

“Abbie Greaves held me spellbound with this intimate, emotional story of the brutal power of silence and ostracism. Yet this deep dive into a troubled marriage is ultimately uplifting as Frank and Maggie make their way through the challenges of isolation, mental health, ageing, and the yearning for connection. Keep the tissues handy for this lovely read.”

Susan Wiggs, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of The Oysterville Sewing Circle

“Greaves writes their distinct voices expressively and assuredly, making both characters come alive. Their struggle to help their daughter as she flounders is both realistic and moving, and it’s almost impossible not to like Frank and Maggie as they do everything they can to save her. A sometimes-hopeful, often heartbreaking look at the difficult and beautiful moments of parenting and marriage.”

Kirkus Reviews

In an urgent race against the clock, the layers of Frank and Maggie's decades-long love story are peeled back to reveal the heartrending secrets that lurk below. But will the truth save Maggie's life, let alone their marriage? Greaves's gripping and poignant debut had me hooked from beginning to end.

Meg Donohue, USA Today Bestselling author of All the Summer Girls and You, Me and the Sea

“Beautifully written in Greaves’ unique voice, we slowly begin to learn what bought them to this point and how the complexities of life play out in a marriage – and indeed family. Poignant, heart-breaking and insightful, it’s a masterful debut.”

Woman & Home

This heartrending story explores the complexities of their relationship, from the early days of their courtship, when Frank was a shy Oxford academic and Maggie was an effervescent young nurse, to the shattering turn of events that rocked their lives. […] Greaves’s insightful account of a long marriage kept us gripped till the very last page.’

The Independent

“Heart-breaking secrets tenderly evoked with intelligence and depth. Maggie and Frank are unforgettable characters”

Rachel Hore, Sunday Times Bestselling Author of The Memory Garden

 “This moving debut unpicks the secret selves of Maggie and Frank to reveal the tragic miscommunications of their broken family. It’s a pleasure to read such a stylish and confident new voice”

Louise Candlish, Sunday Times Bestselling Author of Our House

“In her tremendously moving debut, a novel that pulses with emotional tension, Abbie Greaves masterfully unpicks a history of ordinary lives facing extraordinary challenges. I found it impossible to look away from the relationship at the heart of this novel”

Gilly Macmillan, New York Times Bestselling Author of What She Knew