The Silent Witness Mystery – Dorian Rockwood

A Case Twins Adventure

Not just a thriller—a gripping fusion of mystery, action, and humor.

Take a heart-pounding journey with identical twin brothers Dan and Paul Case on their second adventure as they fearlessly challenge the shadows to bring some criminals to justice.

As high school students with a penchant for uncovering mysteries, they find themselves ensnared in a criminal web that threatens to consume their world. Unraveling mysteries is in their blood, and a seemingly innocuous photo shoot for Dan’s artwork catapults them into the heart of a dangerous fire, unwittingly stumbling upon an arson plot masterminded by a ruthless protection racket—one that will stop at nothing to guard its secrets.

When the gang sets its sights on the store owned by the father of Paul’s girlfriend, the brothers reluctantly become investigators in a small-town noir. Peel back the layers of deception with them as they expose a sinister operation, including the mysterious Jake, a victim caught in the crossfire of circumstance. A small matchbook becomes a key clue, leading them to La Dolce Vita, a restaurant where more than pasta is on the menu for some of the diners. As Dan and Paul race against time to expose the culprits, the brothers find themselves targeted, facing threats, physical confrontations, and a dangerous game of cat and mouse.

The Silent Witness Mystery is pulp fiction for teen readers that will also appeal to readers of the newest generations, reluctant readers, as well as older readers who remember the classic pulp titles from their past.

Some Reviews:

Rockwood’s young adult mystery is a fast-paced tale of suspense and intrigue. The story takes place in 1948, and Rockwood does an excellent job creating the long-ago era with the setting of soda fountains, movie theaters that once aired cartoons before the feature presentation, bridge parties, and ‘40s slang. Dan and Paul are two likable main characters who resemble the Hardy Boys with a slightly more hard-boiled twist. They aren’t afraid to run into danger even when guns and blazing fires are involved. Readers gain inside knowledge on why Dan and Paul are so involved in fighting local crime: the boys were taught by their late father, who died in World War II, and their mother about right and wrong because of their own dark past. In the end, readers will enjoy the sly humor, the brotherly bond between Dan and Paul, and the clever plot. Recommended. – K. Haulotte, US Review of Books

The story revolves around the twins and their struggle to uncover the truth behind an insurance company. Dan and Paul are known for their huge help in finding out the large sum of embezzled money by a gang member in The Cash Cache Mystery novel, which I was also privileged to read and review. Now they are faced with another situation involving more than two people, and once again they would have to do this together. The book centers on the close friendship which the brothers had. Their bond made the story lively as they played, teased each other, and worked together. They also told each other everything that happened while at work and even when coming back from work. Apart from that, they also cared for one another and watched each other’s back; this kept them from falling into danger. The love they had for each other was also extended to Betty and her father as they did their utmost to ensure that they found out about these fraudsters and tracked them down before any harm came to Mr. Wilson’s shop. Therefore, these qualities possessed by Dan and Paul helped them stick together throughout their adventure.

I would say the plot is a page-turner as it explains the twin’s search for the criminals. They were dangerous, but Dan and Paul took it upon themselves to trace them to their hideout. On one occasion, the boys were caught spying and chased around. While all this went on, Paul suspects his sparring mate, Jake, as someone who is lending a helping hand to the insurance guys. I love how Paul turned down the two men who approached him on pages 19-22 of the book. He declined their job offer and insisted that he would rather mow lawns than do something against his conscience. This, no doubt, should serve as a lesson to all readers.

The novel is quite humorous and at some point I found myself laughing, but most importantly, it was an engaging mystery and the second creative book I have read by Dorian Rockwood. – beauty, LitPick

Get ready to become addicted! The Silent Witness Mystery is fast paced, with a plot that grabs your attention, cliffhangers that quicken your pulse, and humor that lightens the mood. Author Dorian Rockwood has managed to create believable protagonists with an interesting backstory: Dan and Paul’s father had once been in a gang but managed to get out. Mystery readers will find themselves immersed in the time period as they peek into the lives of the Case brothers who spend time at the local drive-in and use colorful phrases like “I think it’s time we scrammed out of this clambake.” Anyone who has felt the need to protect those they love will empathize with the brothers’ need to solve the crime. By each turn of the page, clues are revealed, and suspects are unveiled, but just when you think you have it all figured out, Rockwood throws in a few misdirections to keep you guessing until the very end. With nail-biting action and a cast of unforgettable characters like Ricco and Vinnie, this book is a must-read for fans of small town mysteries and thrilling suspense. And with this being the second book in the series, you will want to keep the author motivated and read the whole series! – grammy2023, LitPick

With two endearing young adult characters that were sure to win my heart, Dorian Rockwood crafted a gripping tale in The Silent Witness Mystery. It was a roller coaster ride of adventure, action, mystery, and humor, and I could not put it down. This page-turner had me hooked from the start until the end. With all the twists and turns, I was guessing until the end, and the suspense kept me on the edge of my seat. The characters were well-developed and relatable. Dan and Paul’s banter was far from distracting and showed that they had a very good relationship. Despite making some dangerous choices during their investigation, Dan and Paul were set on achieving their goal. This story was beautifully written and a pleasure to read. – A. Boucher, Readers’ Favorite

In “The Silent Witness Mystery” by Dorian Rockwood main characters Paul and Dan are identical twins, old enough to drive but still in high school. They understand that underage drinking, smoking, and swearing are off limits – these things are not good for you. They also seem to understand that interfering with an extortion ring run by guys named Rico and Vinnie isn’t good for you either, but this doesn’t stop them for a moment. After all, there’s respect for the law to consider. And if that weren’t enough, one of these goons started picking on the wrong family. Big mistake, pal.

This second installment of the Case Twins Adventures is pitched as a Teen & Young Adult book. Well, I’m an old adult, and I thought it was just peachy…

In the final couple of chapters, by which time we’ve grown to care about these kids, the tension is really cranked up. We can all imagine the creeping dread of being trapped in a sinister place with the bad guys closing in. Rockwood is clever enough to make it a big sinister place, so we spend a couple of chapters biting our nails, wondering how it’s going to turn out.

Some readers may not gravitate toward the vanilla flavor of this endeavor – there is no hint of today’s complex, multi-hued society in Farmingford. But readers willing to overlook that will find a well-written story, both in plotting and mechanics in “The Silent Witness Mystery” by Dorian Rockwood. If you’re looking for a quick vacation from cynicism or simply a great teen read, this will be just swell, by golly. – J. Gaynor, Reader Views Kids