The Silence of the Lambs

By: Thomas Harris

Narrated by: Frank Muller

Length: 10 hrs and 43 mins

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

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)

Masterpiece

This is one of the very best recordings I have experienced on Audible. The story and performance are both flawless.

The tension and difference between the characters

I really liked how the characters interacted and led up to the penultimate finish, quite a great story

Too good

Absolutely perfect. Perfect narrator, perfect novel. The hours flew by. Absolutely going to be giving this one another listen on the future

An all-timer.

I love the film and was expecting a fun jaunt through familiar territory - what I got was one of the best books I've ever read...er, listened to. Harris' prose is better than it has any need to be in genre fiction. There's an elegance to his rhythm and word choice that confounded my expectations. I was pleased to find how faithfully the film adapts Harris' work - almost every iconic scene is present and most of the best dialogue was adapted nearly word-for-word. The book hits the same points as the film, but adds layers of depth to Starling's character and some fascinating insights into the law-enforcement process. Harris' journalistic background shines.

Having listened to the audiobooks of Stephen King's Dark Tower series, I was familiar with Frank Muller's work. Still, I wasn't prepared for the quality of Muller's performance. Muller's character reading is incredible - his Hannibal Lector is haunting but never overly affected or campy.

I also must make mention of the excellent foreward, written and performed by the author. It's a fascinating glimpse into both Harris' creative process and the creation of one of the finest villains of film and literature.

I can't recommend this enough. If you have even a passing interest in the film or genre, you've gotta give it a try.

Loved it!

Saw this movie years ago and was thinking of reading the book.. then I got some extra credits and threw one down for ole Dr Lecter. I always loved the movie... but the book and narration! Fabulous!! I’m sufficiently creeped out now that I’ve just finished. It’s almost midnight. I’m the last one up... got my dishwasher running and I swear it sounds like it’s saying Clarice. Well I just took an ambien with a glass of wine so I should sleep well. OR WILL I HEAR THE LAMBS????? Bahahahhshaha

absolutely adore this book, so very smart

this book is obviously very well researched, I love it. I've read it over and over

Wow

Just amazing honestly. Last line is perfect and I will be listening many more times.

Yup! As good as advertised.

As everyone should know...this is an intense and attention grabbing book. I will certainly be listening to this one again I'm the future.

A writer's book, a reader's narrator

There are too few contemporary stories that match this--none of the flash and phlegm of more recent works in the brackish blur in the wake of the movie. This is a writers' book, a muse whisper of "how the hell you do it." Enjoy your own work, take your time, solve your own problems, don't forget your readers have imagination too, Thomas Harris taught me that and I wish--and appreciate when--other writers follow his example.
The narration is crazy good, downright hypnotic.
A bravo on all levels.

Wonderfully Performed

The story is of course good. If you like the movie you'll like the book, but what's great about this production is the performance of the narrator. Frank Muller covers the range of regional accents and idioms present in this book and most importantly plays Hannibal Lecter at least as well as Anthony Hopkins did.