• Silent Child

  • Silent Child, Book 1
  • By: Sarah A. Denzil
  • Narrated by: Joanne Froggatt
  • Length: 9 hrs and 29 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (15,308 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
Silent Child  By  cover art

Silent Child

By: Sarah A. Denzil
Narrated by: Joanne Froggatt
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $26.80

Buy for $26.80

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Editorial reviews

" Silent Child is a unique book, a shining light of hidden horrors and unbearable tension in a genre where it is always difficult to stand out. Emma's slow descent into hell from the moment her son disappears feels real enough to make you hold onto your loved ones that little bit tighter. Sarah A. Denzil masterfully carries the reader alongside Emma on a tortured mental journey: theories, conspiracies and increasingly justified paranoia as suspicion falls on everyone she has ever held dear. Along with Emma, you find yourself pointing the proverbial finger of accusation at a series of characters who once seemed safe. A visceral, darkly atmospheric listen that will make your heart beat, your mind race and your spine tingle." - Gabriel, Audible Editor

"A good audiobook for me is one that takes me on a ride that I never could have imagined, and Silent Child did exactly that. Sarah A. Denzil weaves a tale that starts with heartbreak, adds mystery and suspense, and ultimately becomes a thriller. The writing is superb and it created a blockbuster movie in my mind as I listened. Silent Child had me at the edge of my seat the entire time, and I even fell off a few times." - Sean, Audible Editor

"The premise is shocking and it compels you to find out where Sarah A. Denzil will take the story. But, where I think the author is truly genius is in the way she supports the central plot with some heartbreakingly real and genuinely flawed characters that were so obviously as fully developed in Denzil's mind as the thrilling hook that makes you choose the book in the first place. There's so much more to this one than first meets the eye." - Alexandra, Audible Editor

Publisher's summary

Winner of Audible UK’s 2017 Narrator of the Year Award

Introducing Audible's Thriller of the Year: Silent Child by Sarah A. Denzil, performed by Joanne Froggatt.

In the summer of 2006, Emma Price watched helplessly as her six-year-old son's red coat was fished out of the River Ouse. It was the tragic story of the year - a little boy, Aiden, wandered away from school during a terrible flood, fell into the river, and drowned. His body was never recovered. Ten years later Emma has finally rediscovered the joy in life. She's married, pregnant, and in control again...until Aiden returns.

Too traumatised to speak, he raises endless questions and answers none. Where has he been? What happened to him on that rainy afternoon? And now that he's back, whom can he trust?

At Audible we love listening to crime books. But every so often one comes along that we think is truly special. An Amazon Kindle number one best-seller, Sarah A. Denzil's Silent Child is taking Audible HQ by storm. In an Audible Exclusive production, Joanne Froggatt (Mrs Bates, Downton Abbey) delivers a powerhouse performance that will keep you gripped until the very last second.

©2017 Sarah A. Denzil (P)2017 Audible, Ltd

Critic reviews

"This self-published page-turner became essential poolside listening after Audible named it thriller of the year." ( Stylist)

What listeners say about Silent Child

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    9,150
  • 4 Stars
    4,077
  • 3 Stars
    1,479
  • 2 Stars
    403
  • 1 Stars
    199
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    10,525
  • 4 Stars
    2,516
  • 3 Stars
    725
  • 2 Stars
    177
  • 1 Stars
    116
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    7,977
  • 4 Stars
    3,759
  • 3 Stars
    1,537
  • 2 Stars
    470
  • 1 Stars
    257

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Silent Child Swept Me Away For Two Days

I found this audiobook engrossing. The author took me places I did not expect or wish to go, and she worried me that I would not be able to sustain my interest--but I certainly did.

In short, a young child, Aiden Price, age six, disappears from his school after a terrible rainstorm. Ten years later he is found wandering the woods nearby. He is reunited with his mother but apparently due to sustained trauma, refuses to speak or provide any information about his captor or where he had been for the ten years.

I don't want to give away any more information. I just want to add that if the subject interests you, get the book and set aside plenty of listening time. You have nothing to lose and lots to enjoy.

The narrator does a bang-up job portraying Aiden's mother. If you were a fan of Downton Abbey, you will recognize her voice immediately--I promise you.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

84 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

She's no heroine- what a downer

The performance by reader is best thing about this audiobook. The story is implausible at best, and the main character is no heroine. She's a sobbing, spineless mess. She does everything wrong and can't even stand up for herself, but we are still supposed to feel bad for her? No way. There's no way I can look up to that kind of woman. Waste of credit. Don't bother.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

23 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Too many twists

WAY too many twists and turns, and all at the very end of the book. It was a far stretch, even for fiction. Shame because it was a decent book until that stupid ending!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

14 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

Returned this one

I wanted to like this book. I tried. But I just could not engage with the story or the characters. The narrator uses little distinction between voices, so it was tricky to follow the action.
The plot is good...a little boy disappears during a flood, is eventually declared dead and then reappears after 10 years. But the story plods along and I just couldn't care about the characters. I need to care. So after weeks of trying to hang in there, I returned it.
Audible has a good program and I can feel more free to buy books, knowing I can easily return them if they don't keep me entertained.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Outstanding!

I thought it was an excellent story and very well read. I did not guess the ending! I recommend this book

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

amazing

loved this book, happy ending, and crazy twist. keeps you memorized from beginning to end, amazing!!!!!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Endless story

Joanne Froggatt has the most captivating voice. I could listen to her forever. Which is lucky, as this story went for ever. I was heartily sick of the main character's hysterics, and almost wished her harm. The story is a series almost of non-sequitors, and the final villains were neither connected nor constructed well.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Interesting story but long

Main character is a bit whiney. Wanted a little more spunk early on. Enjoyed the twists and turns up to the end.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Great!

This book was great! I did find myself a little irritated with Emma a few times, but I loved it!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Wow, what a ride!

I really enjoyed this book and wish there were more with this talent for suspense, intrigue, and talented writing.. this book keeps you guessing right until the end. Well developed characters and excellent narration really help solidify and brilliant read,

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful