• The Silence of the Lambs

  • By: Thomas Harris
  • Narrated by: Kathy Bates
  • Length: 3 hrs and 3 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (397 ratings)

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The Silence of the Lambs  By  cover art

The Silence of the Lambs

By: Thomas Harris
Narrated by: Kathy Bates
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Publisher's summary

Hannibal Lecter. The ultimate villain of modern fiction who scared the world silent. An evil genius locked away for unspeakable crimes. A young FBI trainee plunges into the darkest chambers of a psychopath's mind in the deadly search for a serial killer.

The Silence of the Lambs is an instant classic of chilling psychological suspense. From the tormenting words of homicidal maniac Hannibal Lecter and the flesh-rending depravity of an elusive killer to the sheer courage of a young FBI novice who risks her life to track him down and stop the bloodshed, this critically acclaimed audio production, narrated by Kathy Bates, has an unforgettable intensity.

©1988 Thomas Harris, All Rights Reserved (P)1988 Simon & Schuster Inc., All Rights Reserved

Critic reviews

"A virtual textbook on the craft of suspense. A masterwork of sheer momentum that rockets seamlessly toward its climax...Harris is quite simply the best suspense novelist working today." (The Washington Post)
"Superb." (The New York Times)
"Beautifully written." (The San Francisco Examiner)

"Kathy Bates makes it sound so real you'll be looking over your shoulder for days." ( Washington Post Book World)

What listeners say about The Silence of the Lambs

Average customer ratings
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  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Not that bad.

Would you consider the audio edition of The Silence of the Lambs to be better than the print version?

I really did enjoy this one, it is a lot like the movie. I've never read the whole thing so I can''t say one version is better than the other. I love the way Kathy Bates read it, she really gets into the characters.

What about Kathy Bates’s performance did you like?

She gives each of the charaters a different voice so it's easy to listen to.

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1 person found this helpful

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

Beautiful book and Kathy made it even better!

Kathy Bates is such a wonderful narrator, her voice is just screams Clarice!
I wish she narrated all the books!

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

wow

Amazing! really did this story justice. More details than the movie. Makes it easier to digest.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

As Good As The Movie

If you liked the movie, then you'll enjoy this narration. Kathy Bates did a WONDERFUL job and brought life to the characters. The book is equally as "creepy" and thrilling as the movie.

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1 person found this helpful

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

Fantastic!

Loved it! Both engrossing and entertaining.
I highly recommend it to any fan of the series.

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

best series, Thomas Harris masterful.

Hannibal is the original Dexter. Thomas Harris has created the ultimate anti- hero. I've read this a dozen times at least. the entire series is captivating.

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

always the book first

Kathy Bates is brilliant and sensational as always! Never a dull moment. This is an awesome book for Kathy to have taken on!!!!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • JJ
  • 01-14-10

Lots of fun.

I wish this was the complete book, not an abridgement that attempts to mirror the movie (which is why I only gave it four stars). That being said, Kathy Bates is FANTASTIC. This was a very enjoyable listen that was over far too soon.

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14 people found this helpful

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

A superb story.

Very satisfyingly creepy. Also, not quite as gory as I was expecting for such a groundbreakingly gruesome story. Probably just a sign of the times. Everything to follow has had to struggle to be bigger and badder. Still, excellent.

Kathy Bates' one-woman-show is a vibrant gallery of American accents, always human and believable.

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7 people found this helpful

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

Great but Abridged!

LOVE the book, the story and Kathy Bates are amazing, but this is not the full novel. There is a lot of beautiful writing that gets cut. If you are in this book only for entertainment then it’s perfect, but if you want the full experience of the novel I’d find a different version.

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