Preview
  • The Silence of the Lambs

  • By: Thomas Harris
  • Narrated by: Frank Muller
  • Length: 10 hrs and 43 mins
  • 4.9 out of 5 stars (8,132 ratings)

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The Silence of the Lambs

By: Thomas Harris
Narrated by: Frank Muller
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Publisher's summary

A serial murderer known only by a grotesquely apt nickname—Buffalo Bill—is stalking women. He has a purpose, but no one can fathom it, for the bodies are discovered in different states. Clarice Starling, a young trainee at the FBI Academy, is surprised to be summoned by Jack Crawford, chief of the Bureau's Behavioral Science section. Her assignment: to interview Dr. Hannibal Lecter—Hannibal the Cannibal—who is kept under close watch in the Baltimore State Hospital for the Criminally Insane.

Dr. Lecter is a former psychiatrist with a grisly history, unusual tastes, and an intense curiosity about the darker corners of the mind. His intimate understanding of the killer and of Clarice herself form the core of Thomas Harris' The Silence of the Lambs—and ingenious, masterfully written book and an unforgettable classic of suspense fiction.

Please note: This is an historical recording. The audio quality represents the technology of the time when it was produced.

©1998 Thomas Harris (P)2011 Simon & Schuster
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Editorial review


By Seth Hartman

THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS IS AS CHILLING AND THOUGHT PROVOKING AS EVER

At its core, the setup for Silence isn’t all that novel. It follows a classic "unlikely allies" plot, as FBI trainee Clarice Starling is compelled to team up with psychologist and serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter in order to crack a high profile case. What makes this story stand out is the special care it takes with these characters and their relationship. Dr. Lecter is a psychopathic genius who takes great pleasure in toying with people, yet it is clear throughout the story that he seems to have a soft spot for Clarice. This feeling often manifests as a playful demeanor, with Hannibal taking great pleasure in making her squirm while still providing her with useful help. Clarice, on the other hand, is justifiably afraid of the doctor and takes great measures to appear professional and "hard" in front of him. As they work on the case of "Buffalo Bill" (a murderer whose methods seem to copy Lecter’s), Hannibal employs his advanced analytical skills to slowly but surely chip away at Clarice’s defenses, waiting for any advantage he can find to play this situation to his advantage.

Silence of the Lambs taught me that horror can show itself in many forms. The true horror of this story is not found in the serial killings, but in the uncomfortably fraught relationship between Dr. Lecter and Clarice. Despite being behind bars for the vast majority of the novel, the power Dr. Lecter wields with words alone is staggering. He is, without a doubt, among the most terrifying villains in modern storytelling, yet he brandishes his power while doing little more than pacing around a jail cell.

While the film adaptation of this novel dragged me mercilessly into the twisted world of Hannibal Lecter, it wasn’t until years later that I dove into Thomas Harris’s extended Hannibal Lecter series. Getting a chance to read about Hannibal’s reign of terror before he was incarcerated as well as his other exploits added a level to this character that I never knew I needed. This coupled with Frank Muller’s masterful voice work in the audiobook makes the listening experience of these novels an absolute treat for any horror fan.

Continue reading Seth's review >

Critic reviews

"Scary Tales are always best when told out loud, which is why a novel such as The Silence of the Lambs works so well on tape." (Playboy)

"Even if you’ve already loved the movie and the book, you’ll still love this production of this wildly successful thriller.... This telling should not be missed. Acclaimed and popular narrator Frank Muller does his usual great narration by changing timbre and the level of his voice and sometimes his accent. The characters sound exactly as they should in this wonderful production. It’s probably wise to stay away from listening to this while eating, but otherwise it’s a triumph." (AudioFile)

Featured Article: The 20 Best Thriller Audiobooks to Get Your Heart Racing


Few stories lend themselves to audio better than thrillers. Listening gives you time to play detective and figure out the mysteries with the characters. There’s no way to quickly flip through the tense, nerve-wracking parts—and that’s what makes hearing them so much more exciting. Whether you enjoy classic detective thrillers, or something more sinister, there are endless stories to choose from. Here are the 20 best thriller audiobooks to get you started.

What listeners say about The Silence of the Lambs

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Eye Opening

While listening to the book, I was astounded by how much the film diminished Starling's strength of character and, to a great extent, altered the story line entirely. As is often the case, the movie doesn't hold a candle to the book. Until I listened to Mr Muller narrate the book, the movie was a favorite of mine. Mr. Muller's narration was excellent - one of the best audio book performers I've listened to thus far. I wish he would narrate the others in the Hanibal series as well - what a treat that'd be.

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Movie follows book almost verbatium

This is a great listen. It is only ruined if you have ever seen the movie. The book could almost been the screenplay for movie. Therefore there is no suspense because you know exactly what will happen. So if you have seen the movie maybe save the credit. If you have not seen movie, then listen to this then watch the movie. It is much more suspenseful in that order.

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Still great all these years later.

The performance was chillingly good. Sounded a lot like Anthony Hopkins. Thoroughly enjoyed reading the book again.

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Excellent Listen

Very enjoyable to listen to. The narration is top notch and the story, although familiar because of the screenplay, remains very suspenseful. Highly recommended.

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Frank Muller is Hannibal!

The book is very well written. But like any audible book, it all rests on the narration. Frank Muller is awesome! Gets all the voices down. Particularly Hannibal's. Loved it!

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1st Audible Book and it was Great!

Great book, movie... but what made it great was the Performance. Beautifully read. Love it

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Excellent rendition of this book!

Thomas Harris's eponymous classic in audiobook form. If you've never read this book before, this is an excellent way to experience it for the first time. If you've experienced it before, this is an excellent way to revisit Clarice Starling's first encounter with Dr. Lecter. Frank Muller does an outstanding job with this book, particularly as Dr. Lecter. His performance is finely crafted, full of nuance and barely hidden menace. Get this book - it is, without a doubt, a must read.

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Frank Muller breathed life into the book

This is my first time fully listening to an audio book and the narration especially by Frank Muller really breathed life into the characters more than the voice inside my head reading words on paper could. It was almost like watching a movie, I loved it. The book itself was great of course Thomas Harris has a great narration style and way of portraying characters.

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Fantastic

Muller does a great job with this narration. I lobe the writing in this book. The characters. as well as their interactions agree great. I will be continuing this series. Highly recommended flee those who love a good procedural.

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scared the living hell out of me!

Frank Muller totally embodies Dr. lecter. such a great performance, totally recommend this to everyone!!!

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