Book Title: THE GIRL WITHOUT A VOICE
Character Name: Alice Jenkins
How would you describe your family or your childhood?
I grew up in relative isolation in my parents’ home. My father was a traveling salesman and was only home on weekends, while my mother took care of me during the week. Although I loved her, she wasn’t very communicative and had struggles of her own. Being unable to speak, I tried to express myself using American Sign Language (ASL), but it was difficult, as neither of my parents was receptive to that form of communication.
What was your greatest talent?
I’m not sure I’d call it a talent, but I’ve become quite skilled with ASL. I didn’t have many hobbies or opportunities to develop other interests, so signing became my lifeline.
Significant other?
Since Hailey moved in next door, I’ve felt something shift. She’s become someone very important to me. I don’t yet know if this is what people call love, but I hope it might be. I’m still discovering what that means.
Biggest challenge in relationships?
I have a hard time communicating with others, which makes forming connections difficult. Sometimes I wonder if I’m capable of truly being with someone, or if I’m simply too different.
Where do you live?
I live in Hays, Kansas—a quiet, small town. My home is large but secluded, and it can feel quite lonely.
Do you have any enemies?
Not that I’m aware of. I interact with very few people, and those I do speak to don’t seem to harbor any ill will toward me.
How do you feel about the place where you are now? Is there something you are particularly attached to, or particularly repelled by, in this place?
I can’t say I’m happy here. Living with my parents, isolated from the world, and having never attended school or college, has left me feeling stifled. However, I’m deeply attached to my books and the little room I’ve turned into a private library. On the other hand, I hate the basement—it’s dark, cold, and full of shadows.
Do you have children, pets, both, or neither?
Neither.
What do you do for a living?
I don’t have a job or any source of income. I’m financially dependent on my parents.
Greatest disappointment?
Not being allowed to go to school or pursue higher education. That lost opportunity still hurts.
Greatest source of joy?
Hailey. Communicating with her in ASL brings me real happiness. She makes me feel seen.
What do you do to entertain yourself or have fun?
I spend most of my time reading. Occasionally I watch television, but books are my real escape.
What is your greatest personal failing, in your view?
I feel I’ve failed to break free from the control of my parents. I haven’t yet convinced them—or perhaps myself—that I deserve a life of my own, with freedom to explore, learn, and grow.
What keeps you awake at night?
I worry about the things my father may have done during his travels. He’s said strange things and behaved oddly at times. I fear he’s hiding something serious, something dark.
What is the most pressing problem you have at the moment?
I need to uncover the truth about my father. If he’s done something wrong, I have to know. But to do that, I would have to leave my home for the first time—a frightening, yet necessary step.
Is there something that you need or want that you don’t have? For yourself or for someone important to you?
More than anything, I want to experience a normal life. But even more deeply, I long to speak. Being voiceless has always felt like a barrier between me and the world. Regaining my voice would mean everything to me.
Why don’t you have it? What is in the way?
I was born without a voice—at least that’s what my parents always told me. Doctors haven’t been able to explain it, and that uncertainty frustrates me. I hope to one day see a specialist, someone who might offer me answers, or even a solution.
Set in the fall of 1980, isolated mute Alice comes upon a startling discovery that her father may be a serial killer... A sharp read for lovers of true crime and Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll.
Born mute, twenty-two year-old Alice has never known a normal life. Kept from the outside world by her cruel mother and overbearing father, her only friend is her neighbour Hailey with whom she communicates through sign language.
When Alice’s father is diagnosed with terminal cancer, Alice must attend and care for him, all the while listening to his feverish drug-induced ramblings. That is until, in his final days, he reveals something Alice never expected. He confesses to murdering several women.
Shocked and disbelieving, Alice confides in Hailey. Together, they vow to find the truth and decide to journey her father’s old routes as a travelling salesman. A pattern begins to emerge, connecting him to various missing women, before the pair discovers the real reason why Alice lost her ability to speak. And how she is at the centre of her father’s crimes…
Sandra J. Paul is an award-winning author of over thirty psychological thrillers. Her work has gone viral, amassing over 7 million views. She was awarded the Dutch “Best Thriller of the Year,” and her books have been translated into 14 languages and optioned for screen adaptation. Her obsession with true crime adds an extra layer of authenticity to the narrative.
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