Silent Came the Monster, Amy Hill Hearth
Silent Came the Monster, Amy Hill Hearth
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Silent Came the Monster
A Novel of the 1916 Jersey Shore Shark Attacks

Author: Amy Hill Hearth

Narrator: David Marantz

Unabridged: 9 hr 47 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 05/16/2023

Synopsis

From New York Times bestselling author Amy Hill Hearth comes her first historical thriller, inspired by the story of the 1916 Jersey Shore shark.“Sharks are as timid as rabbits,” says a superintendent of the Coast Guard, dismissing the possibility that a shark could be the culprit in an unprecedented fatal attack at the Jersey Shore. It’s July, and swimming in the sea is a popular new pastime, but people up and down the East Coast are shocked and mystified by the swimmer’s death. A prominent surgeon at the shore, Dr. Edwin Halsey is the one who examines the victim, and the only one who believes the perpetrator was a shark—and that it will strike again.With the public and the authorities—and even those who witnessed the attacks—so stubbornly disbelieving, Dr. Halsey finds himself fighting widespread confusion, conspiracy theories, and outright denial. Seeking the input of commercial fisherman, he soon learns they have long been concerned about a creature they call the Beast. The Lenape, one of the tribes native to the area, have their own beliefs about this creature, but can Dr. Halsey convince the rest of the world before it’s too late?The story of the 1916 Jersey Shore shark changed the way Americans think of the seashore, reminding us once again that nature plays by its own rules.

About Amy Hill Hearth

Amy Hill Hearth, who lives at the Jersey Shore, is a New York Times, Washington Post, and USA Today bestselling author and a Peabody Award winner. She writes nonfiction as well as fiction, for both adults and young readers. This is her first thriller. Her areas of interest include American history, elder wisdom, and forgotten or little-known stories. Her ancestors, who include a Lenni-Lenape woman, called the Jersey Shore home for many generations. You can read more about her at www.AmyHillHearth.com.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Lloyd on April 25, 2023

Alas, I did it! Honestly, I really did not enjoy this book. I appreciate and recognize the extensive research Hearth put into this, a fictionalized version of the 1916 Jersey Shore shark attacks. You can tell this was a story she wanted to tell and felt very connected to. She used the actual five vi......more

Goodreads review by CYIReadBooks on September 05, 2023

Silent Came the Monster is a scary good novel about the shark attacks at the Jersey Shore during the summer of 1916. Over the course of twelve days in July of that year, four people were killed and a fifth was seriously injured. At the time, the attacks were attributed to a sea monster. But later, i......more

Goodreads review by Marisa on December 14, 2022

Silent Came the Monster is an interesting novel about the 1916 shark attacks on the Jersey Shore. I've always been a shark lover, having grown up watching Shark Week since I was a little kid, and I've always been interested in this particular little blip in history. The novel is very well researched......more

Goodreads review by Shannon on June 22, 2023

I really enjoyed this historical fiction account of the actual 1916 shark attacks along the Jersey Shore. I'd never heard of this part of history and it was fascinating! The author does an excellent job weaving fact with fiction in a suspenseful read that's perfect for the summer. Highly recommended......more

Goodreads review by Kelly on May 25, 2023

I devoured this book in a couple days (pun intended). This historical novel is about the first recorded shark attacks in the United States. This story was also the inspiration for Jaws. It's early July, 1916, and a young man is attacked and killed by a "sea monster" off the southern coast of New Jers......more

Quotes

“A mere five words into this gripping story I could hear the thrum of the Jaws music inside my head. Based on real-life events, Amy Hill Hearth captures two weeks of terror in an age of innocence. A riveting tale. Be bold—make it your beach read.”

“Wherever Amy Hill Hearth turns her attention, history comes alive. In this novel, we discover the sun-splashed beauty of the Jersey Shore in the summer of 1916, when the threat of war, a polio epidemic, and a dangerous great white shark threaten the residents and tourists, and the fear of these threats hang above ocean like storm clouds. Silent Came the Monster is a thrilling, unforgettable journey into the past.”

“A deeply compelling novel rich with historical detail and surprising parallels to our modern world.”

“Silent Came the Monster is chilling, thrilling, and fun. A great white shark with a taste for hunting humans in this turn-of-the-century setting makes for a fabulous read.”

“This audiobook demonstrates that a shark attack can be as scary on audio as it is on the big screen…[Narrator David Marantz] employs a low-key delivery that complements author Amy Hill Hearth’s superb dialogue.”

“Terrifying, delightful, thoughtful, and gripping.”

“Well drawn and believable…this combination of historical events and thrilling suspense makes for a taut, compelling read.” 

“Chilling and entertaining.”

Awards

  • Goodreads Pick
  • International Pulpwood Queens Choice
  • CrimeReads Pick
  • A Hasty Book List Pick
  • Audible Pick
  • Thoughts from a Page Pick
  • Shreveport Times Pick
  • AudioFile Earphones Award
  • AudioFile Editors’ Pick
  • Cullman Times Pick
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