TThe Silence of the Lambs
by Thomas Harris
Read by Frank Muller

My rating: 4.5 / 5
Genre: Psychological horror classic

I suppose everyone knows the premise of this book by now. An elusive serial killer snatches the daughter of a politician with some pull. Trainee FBI agent Clarice Starling has established a tentative connection with imprisoned Hannibal “the Cannibal” Lecter, so in the race against time for the politician’s daughter’s life, Clarice is sent to try to get insight from him about the man behind the crimes. I read this book at least 20 years ago; I think I was in high school at the time. I don’t remember details, but it left an impression on me for sure. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen the entire movie, though I’ve certainly seen some clips many times over the years.

I’ll start by saying I’m not much of a horror person. Fortunately, most of my aversions to horror are more visually based, so they weren’t really an issue while reading this book. It’s intense and cerebral, and I was really engaged with the story as it unfolded. There were a few parts that I felt dragged a little, but overall, the unfolding of events drew me in. I know that some of what is unveiled along the way lost its punch for me, because I was already aware of, for example, Buffalo Bill’s motivations or how things would play out with Lecter. Still, I enjoyed the suspense and particularly the interactions between Lecter and Clarice. I also appreciated the characterization for more than just the two main characters, including Chilton, who somehow comes across as even more villainous than Lecter. Even the side plot involving Clarice’s boss Jack Crawford could have been seen as dragging down the story, but I felt that it added a much-needed gentler, more human side to this book about serial killers.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Frank Muller, who did a superb job. I’ve read other reviews that the movie is a pretty decent adaptation and that people who have seen and enjoyed the movie find the book to be richer and deeper (which is common in these situations). If you’re considering reading this classic, whether you’ve seen the movie or not, I recommend it.

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