Does Dead Silence have a dual timeline structure?

The narrative alternates between Claire's present-day investigation of the derelict ship and her memories of the events leading up to her team's current situation. This structure reveals the history of the crew's interpersonal dynamics alongside the unfolding mystery on the Aurora.

Has Dead Silence received any award recognition?

Dead Silence was named a Best Book of 2022 by the New York Public Library and one of the year's best SFF titles by Gizmodo, and Locus included it among the best horror novels of 2022. It was also a finalist (not a winner) for Best Science Fiction in the 2022 Goodreads Choice Awards.

Dead Silence

Horror Mystery

Pages: 352
Published: 2022
Language: English

Claire Kovalik's job is about to disappear, but a strange distress signal offers one last chance. She and her crew investigate the Aurora, a luxury spaceliner lost for two decades, hoping for a salvage claim that could change their lives. Instead, they find unsettling whispers, fleeting shadows, and chilling messages scrawled in blood. Claire must uncover the truth of what happened on the Aurora before she and her team become the next victims.

Prose complexity: 7/10

Tense Dark Creepy Atmospheric

Survival Locked Room Unreliable Narrator Dual Timeline

S.A. Barnes

Claire KovalikProtagonist

Kane (Dead Silence)Supporting

Medic and mechanic aboard Claire's salvage crew, and her second-in-command.

VollerSupporting

The pilot of Claire's salvage crew.

Lourdes (Dead Silence)Supporting

Communications specialist on Claire's salvage crew.

NysusSupporting

Systems technician on Claire's salvage crew.

All characters in Dead Silence

Frequently asked questions

Does Dead Silence have a dual timeline structure?
The narrative alternates between Claire's present-day investigation of the derelict ship and her memories of the events leading up to her team's current situation. This structure reveals the history of the crew's interpersonal dynamics alongside the unfolding mystery on the Aurora.
Has Dead Silence received any award recognition?
Dead Silence was named a Best Book of 2022 by the New York Public Library and one of the year's best SFF titles by Gizmodo, and Locus included it among the best horror novels of 2022. It was also a finalist (not a winner) for Best Science Fiction in the 2022 Goodreads Choice Awards.