The Silence merges the thriller genre with a family drama. When DCI Jim Edwards takes on the homicide investigation of a murdered policewoman, he has no idea how it is going to impact on his relationship with his family. When it transpires that his deaf niece, Amelia, witnessed the murder it puts huge pressure on Jim; he decides to withhold Amelia as a formal witness to protect her, but Jim struggles to make headway with the case whilst keeping Amelia's identity a secret.