The Silencer

by Paul Alkazraji

Jude Kilburn and his wife Alex have moved from London to Albania to grow the church, in particular by publishing a keen biography of a local hard-man turned Christian. But a clandestine group has made it their mission to stop this work… The Christians sense danger, but the list of potential enemies is long: unreformed ex-paramilitaries, nationalists, mobsters. How and by whom will the cycle of violence and revenge be foiled?

Genres: Christian, Christian Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Fiction

285 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2012

About the author

Paul Alkazraji (first name Muthena) worked as a freelance journalist in the UK from the mid-nineties. His articles were published in Christianity Magazine, The Christian Herald, The Church Times, The Baptist Times and other publications. His travel articles were also published in The Independent. His first book Love Changes Everything, a collection of seven testimonies, was published by Scripture Union in 2001. His second book Heart of a Hooligan, a biography of ex-football hooligan Dave Jeal, was published by Highland Books in 2000. His third book Christ and the Kalashnikov, a biography of missionaries Ian and Caralee Loring, was published by Zondervan in 2001 (all on goodreads).

From 2004 to 2010 he was editor and publisher of Ujëvarë magazine in Albania. His thriller 'The Silencer', set in Albania, Greece and Turkey, was published by Highland Books in 2012. His new novel, ‘The Migrant’, set in Albania and Athens during the austerity troubles, was published by Instant Apostle in February 2019. He likes listening to music, being by the Aegean Sea or Ohrid Lake, and skiing when the snow comes.

Reviews

[Cora Tea Party Princess · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was very pleasantly surprised by this book.

I usually avoid religious fiction, but I'm glad I read this.

First of all, I love the cover. If I'm honest, that's the main reason I read this book. That and the striking title. It's all grisly-thriller looking and it doesn't disappoint.

The religion in this Christian crime thriller wasn't shoved down your throat. This novel wasn't religious propaganda, the characters were just religious.

This is a beautifully written suspenseful thriller which kept me on the edge of my seat with its multiple narratives.

Fantastic writing.

I received a copy of this for free via Goodreads First Reads.

[Tracy Quarrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the extremely well written and beautifully told story of Jude and Alex Kilburn who are trying to publish the story of a recent Christian convert with a shady past in his Albanian homeland. The local thugs want to prevent the publication and so the Kilburn's become under siege from a spiritual as well as actual battle from various quarters.
It was a slow burn to begin with but halfway through I could not put this book down, the characters and the story will definitely stay with you. Unfortunately the book remains topical with the religious hatred that seems to ever fuel conflicts and the terrible events we have witnessed this year alone.
There are some nice links to the main action with the character's in Jude's local class and these are touching and clever. As is the link to Charles Dickens, I love literacy references in an action book!
Many thanks to Paul the author. I received this book from the author but the opinions expressed are entirely my own. My only complaint is that this book will leave you hungry with the various descriptions of delicious Albanian and Greek food, pass the olives and cheese please!

[Keith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mr. Alkazraji has a unique descriptive style that puts the reader in the scene. This is a well written book that will be enjoyed by most everyone.

The book chronicles the many obstacles along the path to publishing a book about tough guy turned Christian. The reader will enjoy the simpleness of everyday life in Albania through Alkazraji's wonderful writing. His protagonist, Jude Kilburn is a very likable character who overcomes many obstacles to publishing the book.

A delightful read with interesting characters. Consider placing this one on your "to read" list.

[Paul Alkazraji · Rating 4 out of 5]

They said...

‘Paul Alkazraji's novel conveys a vivid and atmospheric impression of life in the Balkans. His characters are believable and real, some of them loveable and slightly eccentric. This is a thriller in the old style, building up a picture with skill and dexterity, and as the plot becomes tense towards the end of the book, it is a real page-turner. Highly recommended!!’

Grace Turner. Author of ‘The Kings Gold’, Monarch Books.

---

Great holiday read

‘I enjoyed this read while taking time out; it was easy to recognize the Balkan attitudes, the dangers in that area of the world, and the fundamentalist mindset. A great read for a journey or the beach, with a tea or a Raki.’

Ian Loring, subject of ‘Christ and the Kalashnikov’, Zondervan. Amazon.co.uk

---

Great story by a master creator of images

‘The Silencer does a wonderful job of bringing to life the culture, climate and topography of the Balkans, especially Turkey, Greece and Albania. I've been living in the Balkans myself for 24 years and I instantly recognized the place descriptions in Paul's book. And it's not a bad tale, either. Paul gives an excellent portrayal of Albanian culture, both its positive and negative aspects. He tells an inspiring story of selflessness, sacrifice, and love overcoming evil. Highly recommended.’

Dan Truitt. Amazon.co.uk

---



A gripping read from start to finish

‘The Silencer is a gripping, edge-of-your-seat thriller set in Albania and Turkey. It captures the atmosphere and characters of Albania very well, and the plot carries you along at a great pace. Full of suspense, I found it hard to put the book down. I rarely read books more than once but am about to read The Silencer again!’

Andrew Avramenko. Amazon.co.uk

---

‘Portraying faith in fiction is a major challenge. Believers tend to do it badly, and unbelievers find it hard to believe in! But faith is a huge part of life for millions of people... why shouldn't it surface in good-quality fiction? Paul Alkazraji's 'The silencer' is an excellent example of a whole new genre: stories that take faith seriously without seeking overtly to 'convert'. Faith-based without being faith-biased, The Silencer is a fast-moving tale that beautifully captures the landscapes and cultures of Albania. This is an author who has found a new home; has fallen in love with it, and is not afraid to let that love shape his writing. The book offers particular insight into the small but growing Albanian evangelical community: a faith-group that was officially non-existent until the Iron Curtain came down. The attempt to grow church in the nation once declared as the world's first fully atheist state; the pressures of corruption and opposition; the raw beauty of the place and its people - these are the threads that weave together to form this intriguing tale.’ This review also appears on my blog, lovethewords.com

Gerard Kelly, author.

---

A very Albanian murder

A Christian novel to be enjoyed at your leisure! This is a ‘who-dun-it’ set in Albania, and while the characters and the intrigue are completely fictional it is not difficult to understand how they could be so real in the political climate of the area. The blurb states that ‘mission is no Christian monopoly’ and as the story unfolds we see the ‘political’ and fanatical groups that endanger the work of the gospel today. A good, easy read for the lengthening evenings or a good stocking filler if this is the genre of books that you enjoy!

Val Maidstone, pastor’s wife from Dorking. Evangelicals Now, UK. November 2013.

---

‘The book is a fitting tribute to Berti (Dosti)... and thousands of other brave Albanian Christians whose testimonies helped the Church survive a difficult rebirth...” “...keeps the reader on a knife-edge until the final page.’

John Butterworth. Author of ‘God's Secret Listener’ reviewing for ‘Inspire’ UK.

---

A clear picture of the struggles, joys, and areas for prayer facing all missionaries…

‘First of all, let me say that if I was a missionary in Albania, I would want every one of my friends, family and supporters to read this book. It gives a clear picture of the struggles, joys, and areas for prayer facing all missionaries living and working with Albanians. It's done in an honest, but not sappy or overly-spiritualizing way, and I was so pleased to see such an excellent treatment of the realities of life there. It's given me new avenues for prayer. Well done.

We worked and lived in Eastern Europe and Russia for some years, so I'm familiar with a lot of the issues presented in the book. I love that it's fiction, so no one is 'implicated'. Yet, it gives the picture very clearly and without bias.’

Name withheld.



All photos. Peter Wilson.

[Jean · Rating 3 out of 5]

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…” So begins Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities, a book that Londoner Jude Kilburn assigns his Albanian students, one of his tasks as he and his wife Alex have moved from the UK to proclaim their Christian faith to the inhabitants of this eastern European country. Jude is trying especially hard to publish the story of a local bad guy-turned Christian, and in this endeavor, he meets strong resistance.

I was given a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review, and I thank him for that.

As I began reading The Silencer, Mr. Alkazraji’s writing seemed like a combination of Dickens meeting the Apostle Paul; it is chock-full of description as well as Biblical phrases and references. For those readers who want stories of witness that contain Old and New Testament verses, this novel would be quite enjoyable.

Mr. Alkazraji has written a plausible tale of danger and suspense. He does a very fine job describing life in Albania as well as the challenges the Kilburns experience while living there. He is obviously a writer who loves the language. He has a keen eye for detail, and he expresses himself very beautifully.

But I had several difficulties with this novel. First of all, I got quite lost in the initial chapters trying to keep tabs on the many characters. Most of them are insignificant to the main plot, and I found that to be quite confusing. Secondly, while the descriptions of persons, places, meals, daily activities, etc., are quite lovely, I felt that I kept losing track of the action. On a number of occasions, I had to backtrack to find out whom I was reading about or just what was taking place. At times the Bible verses were also a distraction from the content of the mystery story.

However, Mr. Alkazraji does a good job delivering his message to Christian and would-be Christian readers. Jude has experienced the best of times and the worst of times, both in his time in Albania and in his spiritual life. As a thriller, the suspense builds in the final chapters. The mystery does resolve, so I think that Christian thriller readers would probably like this book.

3 stars

[Yibbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

What an interesting plot and setting! And what a tangle of motives and loyalties. You can really get a feel for the Albanian culture and cuisine, but it was written in such a way that you don’t feel like you’re reading a travelogue.
I really appreciated that our hero wasn’t a ‘super-Christian’. He faced temptations, fears, trials, disappointments, betrayals, and failures then the solution was informed and guided by Scripture, without being preachy. I really feared that it would become wildly miraculous like so many other Christian fiction books, but it didn’t. It was refreshingly realistic. There is no way I would have guessed that ending! It was good but really unexpected.
I’m not sure about all the dreams. They struck me as the weakest points in the plot. They did help build the suspense for our characters, but for the readers, me anyway, the tension was built much better by the parallel storylines. You, I just wanted to jump ahead and see how the stories intersected. Other than that, the only thing that detracted from the story, just a little bit, are the numerous references to pop culture, literary, or other entertainment figures. It just slowed the story too much. After a while, I didn’t care anymore how much he liked Mr. Rochester.
The cover is amazing, sinister and elegant at the same time.
I received a free copy from the author. No review was required, but it was my pleasure to share my thoughts with you.

[SonyaA. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great read and I really enjoyed reading it. It was well written and love the characters. You can easily connect with them and also the problems that the family Kilburn faces when they want to publish a book about Mehmed,Albanian muslim, who before founding his faith in the Church he was a very violent man involved with massive murders, trafficking and God knows what, are so realistic. And the author so well has described how difficult it is to live on the Balkan when people on higher positions and mobsters are involved in all segments of life, how they will do anything,even to kill,just the truth wouldn't be revealed.

[Loraine · Rating 3 out of 5]

SUMMARY: Jude Kilburn and his wife Alex have moved from London to Albania to grow the church, in particular by publishing a keen biography of a local hard-man turned Christian. But a clandestine group has made it their mission to stop this work… The Christians sense danger, but the list of potential enemies is long: unreformed ex-paramilitaries, nationalists, mobsters. How and by whom will the cycle of violence and revenge be foiled?

REVIEW: Rating 3.5
This suspense novel was well written, contained wonderful descriptions that captured the sights, sounds, and smells of Albania, and displayed a good understanding of the difficulty of being a missionary in countries where Christianity is not well received. The premise for the plot was excellent and well developed. The characters of Jude and Alex were interesting and believable.

I would have liked to have seen the character list and the definition of the Albanian expressions at the front of the book. I only discovered them after I had read the book. I admit I had a great deal of difficulty keeping the characters straight. I think it would have been easier if I had seen the list at the beginning and could have referred back to it. I also felt that in some places the descriptions bogged the pace of the story even though I enjoyed reading them. Overall a good suspense read that I think would especially be enjoyed by young adults.

FAVORITE QUOTES: "Things can be better wherever you are."

"..if you are unhappy with your life, you can change it in two ways...either improve the conditions you live in or improve your inner spiritual state. The first isn't always possible but the second is.." (Tolstoy quoted)

"The wounds His chosen ones have taken for His sake are the medals of honour in heaven."

"I carry this," he said. "It reminds me that my sins too nailed Christ to his cross...and there He forgave me too.

I was given this book by the author and the opinions expressed are my own.

[Brent Soderstrum · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

I learned a lot about Albania from reading this novel. It is centered on Jude and his wife Alex who are missionaries from England, in Albania to bring the word of Christ to a former communist country. One of the ways they are doing this is by trying to get a book published about the life of a former atheist who did some bad things for his government. Mehmed is now a Christian and Jude is determined to get his testimony published. There are those who will stop at nothing to prevent this from happening.

I think we in the US take for granted too often the religious freedom we have. There is currently some back lash for being a Christian but it is relatively minor compared to what takes place elsewhere in the world. This story brings that out.

The story was a little stiff. Like a march in cadence. It could have been more free flowing and conversational.

[Tonya Mathis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it. Not my usual genre. But I enjoyed this book. It was well written. And I could visualize many of the things I was reading. I had a little trouble with some of the language, foreign/not nasty. I would read it again and would read the next book if there is one. I liked the characters that much.

[Edyta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book with a unique story. Christian fiction that illustrated challenges that many Christians facing in every part of the world. This story is about missionary couple in Albania. Author brings to life the culture, climate of this country. The story is a journey of Jude and Alex, they struggles, chellanges in order to publish a book how man turned Christian. That was the main reason I wanted read the book, as religions and spirituality is kind of interesting topic for me through not easy. Faith is big part for many people and it's interesting to read others point of views, chalanges, believes. You can find this in this book. I did enjoyed reading it,although I was struggling with some of the language and phrases I couldn't understand. Overall this is good written and worth to have a look at.

[Donna Morfett · Rating 4 out of 5]

The cover of this drew me in and it didn't disappoint although it was nothing like I was expecting.
It follows the story of a couple, Jude and Alex who go to Albania who want to publish the story of a Christian convert. Safe to say the Albanians don't want to story to be told.
There are a lot of characters and there is a distinct religious element which isn't preachy or dominant in the story. It would have put me off if it was.
The second half picks up the pace and you turn the pages quicker to find out what happens.
The author manages to place you amongst the pages, with what many would probably argue is excessive description, and at points I would possibly agree, but I love being transported between the pages of a book, so on the whole it's a huge plus for me.

[Gerard Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been looking foreward to reading Paul Alkazraji’s ‘The Silencer’, and the experience does not disappoint. At the heart of the book’s strength is Paul’s fine-toothed descriptive prose. This is a man who has fallen in love with Albania, and it is the place, more than anything, that shines in this book. A fast-moving plot and a cast of believable characters help the process along as ‘The Silencer’ draws the reader into the region, its recent history and the unique situation of its churches.

Recommended.

[Anandraj R · Rating 4 out of 5]

Paul has given us a gripping thriller in the form of 'The Silencer'.

The plot is about how a young young Christian missionary, Jude publishes a book against all the odds.

The strength of the book lies in its description of events. The scenes in Albania, Turkey & Greece are wonderfully described.

Even though there were few epic quotes from bible, this book and the chars isn't religious.

Very good read!

[Jeanette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must admit that I didn't think I was going to enjoy this book as much as I did. I am also quite selective when it comes to religious fiction, as I am by no means a religious person. I was pleased to see that it was just the characters who were religious. Loved learning a little about the culture etc in Albania. I have been to Turkey and Greece on several occasions. A good page turner. I thank Paul Alkazraji for sending me an e-copy of his book in exchange for an honest review.

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This really is a thriller with a difference!
When most 'targets' in a thriller rely on guns and guile to survive we are presented with a man who relies on the prayer and the power of God to keep him and those he loves from harm.

As well as being an attention grabbing thriller this book brings with it a whole education regarding life in Albania. The colour and attention to detail makes for an enjoyable and easy read.

[Kida · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all I thank the author that give me the opportunity to read this book.

It is a book that is very realistic and touches problems that really exist in Balkan.
I really enjoyed it and i recommend it to others as well.

[Apryl Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I.O.U. a review! This was a truly enjoyable read—not all happiness and light, mind you. It's a thriller from start to finish.

[Rob Miller · Rating 2 out of 5]

Won a copy and read it. I'm not sure I would pick it up again, because it's a bit heavy handed on the religion aspect.

[Ian · Rating 3 out of 5]

There really is a lot to like about Paul Alkazraji's The Silencer, however those things which I didn't like tended to get in the way.
The book is very well written, using local knowledge to great effect and I especially appreciated some of the small details which embellished the time and place of the various locations in which the action takes place, notably of Turkey and Albania and to a lesser extent Greece.
The plot is a classic race against time as a hitman with a personal grudge closes in on his unwitting target. The author manages this particularly well, painting his would be hitman with some nasty traits and although decidedly amateurish and drawing attention to himself at every turn he is able to stumble through corrupt and porous border posts and as he closes in on his quarry you wonder will he be foiled or get cold feet, or see his mission through.
A puppet of wider nefarious interests determined to prevent publication of the biography of a reformed Albanian mafioso, the focus of his ire and blood lust is a young Christian missionary Englishman, Jude.
As much as the bad guys are well drawn and credible, the good guys, Jude and his wife Alex, are clothed in an irritatingly cuddly glow of innocence and simplicity, although their Albanian and Turkish colleagues and minders find much more favour.
I found myself uncaring as to the prospects for Jude and Alex, not least as they seemed to contribute so little to the intended audience for their mission other than for a simpleton farmer boy seeking relief from his employer/owner.
Much of their time together seems to be taken up in reading the Bible, and enjoying cosy Middle England breakfasts on their balcony before Alex spends her days making pine baskets and Jude wanders from place to place drinking coffee. Quite how their relatively privileged lifestyle in this Albanian outpost is funded is never clear, and it is little wonder when one of the local ladies being 'assisted' in selling crafts takes umbrage. This minor lack of appreciation of Alex's good intentions sends her into a depression and the ensuing near breakdown of Jude and Alex's relationship is crass as you just sense the point of writing this segue is so that it will all be put right by the power of God, and that is where the book undoes so much that is good in the literary sense. There are all too convenient portentious dreams fortelling of a mysterious foreigner closing in, the intent to show who's side God is on, and copious bible quotations peppered throught the book to ensure we understand that faith in God's will is all that is required to enable a positive outcome. History tells us otherwise of course, and yet here we are expected to root for the ultimate in blind faith do gooders.
There is an apparently serious story to be told about religious intolerance in the Balkans and yet the devices used in The Silencer fail to explore the depth of these challenges.
As a thriller The Silencer works well, is intelligently written with lovely detailed Balkans scene setting, and I appreciate that choosing a couple of Christian missionaries at work in an Albaniain outpost is not unrealistic and as viable as any other scenario to hold the plot, and all in all I enjoyed the book and would recommend it if you can overlook the bible references and the overt, overly simplistic good versus evil premise which turned a 4 star book into 3 stars from me.
I was fortunate to receive The Silencer from the author, with a pleasant written letter from the publisher, as a Goodreads Giveaway win, for which I express my gratitude.

[Lauren Flewett · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the cover for this book it definitely drew me in. There was a vast array of characters which was a little confusing, the character list at the end would have been useful at the beginning to refer back to. The author describes the different cultures and countries well which brings it to life.

The plot was enjoyable but I did get lost in a few places and had to flick back to try and make sense of what was happening! Don’t be put off by the religious element to this book as I didn’t think it took over the novel and was just part of the main characters lifestyle.

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was very good Christian Fiction. It brightly illustrated challenges faced by Christians in many parts of the world, this story being mostly following a missionary couple in Albania. I found it entertaining and inspiring and it soberly reminded me that we Christians take our relative freedom and safety in the U.S. far too much for granted.

[Christina Yorke · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book tells of the life of two missionaries in Albania...Jude and Alex. They teach English and are helping an ex-convict publish a book about how Jesus turned his life around. Full of characters who are difficult to relate to and a lifestyle I am unfamiliar with, this book was confusing to me. I like the premise but personally couldn't really get into it.

[Maressa Mortimer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. As it's so detailed, you can really imagine it all. Jude and his wife Alex are lovely characters, not too good to be true... Jude wants to publish a book for an acquaintance, but at what price? There are a lot of characters, but as they're all different, it's easy to keep them apart. Thoroughly enjoyed the book, want to know what happened to the side characters now!

[kirsty · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really enjoyable thriller that was well written with a compelling storyline and well developed characters that all brought something to the plot. I loved the fornatting of the book and how we get the perspective of multiple characters as that always makes me feel like I really know theM.
There is some religion in this book but it isn't heavy on religion at all and it didn't take anything away from my enjoyment.

[Nooks Full Of Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

I will need to reflect on this; too many conflicting thoughts on this book. It could have been much better...