And Then There Was Silence

Untamed Darkness

by Candace Robinson

Sadie Hawkins wants nothing more than to find success as a screenplay writer. But when she discovers the love of her life hanging from their bedroom ceiling, Sadie gives up on her dreams.

Until she receives an unexpected gift.

Sadie has become the sole owner of the cabin in the woods she always adored. A secluded place where she can resurrect her dreams and drown her sorrows.

Yet the woods are not the same. The days are still and lifeless. The shadows seem to follow Sadie. And the air holds the scent of her dead husband.

As the days go by, Sadie will either have to accept that her sanity is in jeopardy or uncover the mysteries hidden deep within the past. Mysteries more terrifying than she ever imagined.

And Then There Was Silence is a stand alone story and perfect for fans of V.E. Schwab, Holly Black, and Mexican Gothic.

Genres: Horror, Fantasy, Thriller, Paranormal, Ebooks, Dark, Mystery

305 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 5, 2024

About the author

I spend my days consumed by words and hoping to one day find my own DeLorean time machine. My life consists of avoiding migraines, admiring Bonsai trees, watching classic movies, and living with my husband and daughter in Texas—where it can be forty degrees one day and eighty the next!

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Reviews

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Candace Robinson's latest standalone, And Then There Was Silence, was next in my queue. A dark and delicious fantasy, the book starts off without anything strange... actually, the sad death of a husband who seemed very much in love with his wife. As she processes her grief, the writer-wife learns of a cabin that's been bequeathed to her, and so she goes to live in the woods. Except things begin to get creepy: strange voices, moving shadows, a hole that appears quite deep. What is happening? Toss in a sister who's broken up with a fiancé, a man who is good friends with the protagonist. As the story of the trio progresses, the silence grows stronger, and then... someone from the past appears. Our fantasy world kicks in, and the story grows wings... just like a key character (of sorts). Robinson is best at creating a vivid world where nothing makes sense but everything makes sense at the same time. Sometimes a little scary, often filled with pure delightful Gothic horror, her plots keep readers glued to the pages, wondering how it will play out. Love is always a central theme, but sometimes love isn't simple or clean... when it comes from deep within, it's darker and more controlling. Will the sisters survive? Is something from the past trying to stir up trouble? Another engaging read I recommend from Candace Robinson.

[Beth Morvant · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’d shelf this as a paranormal romance and not a horror. It felt like a book written 15 years ago, idk. Not for me.

[Candace Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved writing this one so much! Dark and light are my favorite things! 🖤

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

There were elements of this book that I could appreciate. I feel this book was not executed well. The world building was not well explained. I would also not classify this as a horror. In my opinion it's a dark romance. With them amount of plot points in this book I feel it would have done better to make it a duology or trilogy. Seperate the plot elements out and develope the story a little more.

[Marlena Frank · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve followed Robinson’s work for many years and I’ve had the pleasure of reading almost all of her books. One of the things I love the most when I get to closely follow an author’s career is seeing how their work changes and evolves over time. This novel is her latest release, diving into some difficult topics surrounded by intense and beautiful scenery. I was absolutely blown away by it.

And Then There Was Silence is a story full of love and heartbreak. It’s a novel that crawled under my skin and hit me hard, tackling topics like grief, loss, and regret head on. What starts as a heart wrenching love story twists into a wicked supernatural tale of past lives, horrible deeds, and lands with a tough ending. I could tell it was difficult to write and that pain, love, and pure emotion filled the pages.

It’s a gothic tale of love and loss, uncontrollable magic, skeletal creatures, and terrible truths all taking place in a haunted forest hiding a frightening secret. If this sounds like the book for you, go grab your copy!

[S.G.D. Singh · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely fantastic haunting, magic-filled read, full of creepy goodness—and PERFECT for Spooky Season!❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[Nahomy · Rating 1 out of 5]

El plot twist y la escritura fueron tan malos y la historia en ningún momento me dio curiosidad, lo terminé porque ya quería saber qué pasaba.

[Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Candace approached me and asked if I would like to read her latest book, of course I said yes.

Once again Candace has blown me away. And Then There Was Silence is an excellent read and perfect for anyone who loves spooky reads and cabins in the woods.

I was kept guessing about what was happening to Sadie after she moves into her dream cabin, bought for her by her late husband, River. It should be perfect but Sadie is still grieving the fact that River is gone and that he isn't sharing this new part of her journey with her, except for the fact that he may be closer than she realises.

Shadows that appear out of thin air, trees that move, animals that sleep during the day, and the scent of River surrounding the woods and her home have Sadie think she's going crazy, especially considering she seems to be the only person witnessing these events. Everything leads up to a thrilling conclusion that spans centuries.

[meghann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay. I really loved this. Sadie and River made me fall in love with them and then broke my heart again and again. This was such an honest look at grief and how to even begin to exist without the other half of your soul. How to live with the unanswered questions. And then things got all dark and twisty and weird in my favorite way. I had no idea where this was going but was absolutely delighted by the journey. The setting of this was so creepy and amazing, and I would totally live there... in the daytime. This was such a creative and twisted world, and I loved all the characters. I will definitely enjoy reading this one again.

[Bruna · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.75 ⭐️

[Linda · Rating 2 out of 5]

The premise sounded great, but I don't feel there was enough explanation of the past events to make sense of what happened.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

[sophie ☁️ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would not be able to tell you what happened in this book if I tried.

I agree with a previous review, in that this is definitely more paranormal romance than horror. The pacing felt off and not one single character in this was likeable.

[Britnie Palmer · Rating 2 out of 5]

So unimpressed with the direction that took 😒

[gianna smerg · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm sorry but this was not good....it felt way too close to Fairydale but tried to cram it all into the last 100 pages. I feel like this could have been better if it hadn't been so rushed.

[Amber Hodges · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went into this book not knowing a single thing about it, just that I love the authors writing and that was it. It was such a nice treat to read something that way as i had no idea what was going to happen or where it was going. I was sucked into the pages and had to know what happened next. I love all the characters and all the twists and turns that arose throughout the book. The love in the book was also amazing. Not just romantic love, but the love of family as well. The paranormal aspects were original and fun. I love every bit of it and know i will be rereading it very soon!

[Kildare Durin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sad to say this just wasn't it sis.
Somewhere somehow we took a wrong turn and ended up… here.
Not for me sadly.

[Jessica Cranberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

CW: death by suicide

And Then There was Silence is ultimately an exploration of grief with artfully wrought depictions of loneliness that turned out to be some of my favorite moments with these characters. Leave it to Candace Robinson to weave in some surprising twists you won't see coming. This book reads like a fever dream, in a good way!

[Kristen Crager · Rating 2 out of 5]

Started out pretty cool and creepy and then turned corny extremely fast. The constant mentioning of "the precious baby" gave me Rosalee vibes from Twilight and I don't mean that in a good way. Very rushed and weird at the end. Very difficult to finish.

[Mallory McCartney · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heart wrenching study in grief, Robinson doesn't hold back the punches in this one. Feels like a fever dream that is haunting and beautiful readers will devour this in one go.

[Mads · Rating 1 out of 5]

The skin about 58% into this book is SO far fetched, feel like it turned into a whole new story .. just couldn’t stay in it after that.

[Lori Owens · Rating 2 out of 5]

I simply don't know what I think about this book. I didn't hate it by any means, but I was ready for it to be over.

[Robyn Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 rounded up coz thats 4hrs of my life i'll never get back 😭

[Fernanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 🌕🌕🌕🌘
Spice: 🔥🔥

Short review: Dark. Paranormal romance. Good plot twist. Recommended to those who like gothic/dark literature.

TC: Suicide. Gun violence. Animal death (descriptive).

Long review:

This is a dark book and you can notice that from the blurb. I don't recommend the book if you're feeling low, are living through a difficult moment that involves the loss of someone or are having dark thoughts.
Why do I say that? Because I know I already said that but death is the main topic in this book and it might touch a sensitive fiber in someone as described above.

Now, don't misunderstand me: It is a good book. I didn't see that turn of events coming and it was a nice surprise.

The ending wasn't that shocking although a part of me expected something different and I think that's precisely what makes it worth reading. It isn't the typical paranormal book, at least not like the ones I've read before and that makes it refreshing.

[Sierra · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ✨
1 🌶️

I went into this book not knowing what to expect or having read the synopsis but I was instantly invested. I devoured this book in a day. It was dark, check the trigger warnings, but also light and wholesome at times. I adored this story and did not want it to end.

Sadie and River had me falling in love and then ripping my heart out numerous times. I felt everything that Sadie felt and just wanted her to catch a break.

I loved Skyler he was such a good friend never dismissed Sadie’s feelings and was always there.

The ending absolutely devastated me even though I saw it coming.


“Even in my wicked state, I want your heart to be mine.”


This book was dark but absolutely beautiful. It is a standalone and you should definitely give it a read.

What could possibly go wrong living alone in a secluded cabin in the woods?

[Marcia - itsabookthing2021 · Rating 5 out of 5]

And Then There Was Silence is a gut wrenching dark fantasy that hits all emotions at once. Candace Robinson has a knack for gripping the reader and delivering the goods. I couldn't put this novel down. From the opening heart wrenching death of a beloved husband to Sadie and Rivers relationship to the ending that transpired. This was written so well, the creativity and the build up of events were beautifully haunting. The characters all created so well making this novel play out effortlessly, Skylar the perfect friend, I was invested in him! The other characters all played their parts so well and rounded this perfect dark fantasy. I had no idea which direction it was going in and what a ride this was. Excellent!

[C. Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

An atmospheric read featuring loss, love, and horror playing out in a secluded cabin. The mystery Sadie is immersed in reads like the horror movies of old where the tension and suspense is high because you know something is lurking in the background--driving our all-things horror loving heroine to question her own sanity. It's only later you learn; these dreams are rooted in the past and she must deal with the consequences of said past before she can move on from the loss of her vicious dream. With a twist you won't see coming, sinking your teeth into this one is sure to bring you joy! Or a never-ending nightmare!!

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not sure how to put this book into words. You know those songs that get you teary but you listen to them anyway because how beautiful they are? It's kind of like that. I knew this was going to be an emotional book after reading the blurb but I couldn't stop thinking about it.
This book has grief, everlasting love (romantic and otherwise), and it shows the area of grey one can go to protect the people they care for. I'm glad I took my time reading it and didn't let myself binge it because it was such a unique story with so much heart in it and I don't think I would've appreciated it as much had I not soaked it in slowly.

[Victoria Pring · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh. This book wasnt bad it just failed to deliver. It wasnt a horror, didn't really feel like a romance, literary fiction perhaps.
Some of the imagery was pretty but there was too much going on half the time and nothing going on at all the rest of the time. There is a whole day where pretty much nothing happens because her phone isnt working... why though? Why freeze the plot for one more day than you need to when you could have easily combined those days and not let it stagnate. This book just fely more like an old spooky story posted weekly on a blog than a finished book. Which is a shame as I did enjoy the bones of the story.

[R.J. Garcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Give me a cabin in the woods and a character-driven mystery and I’m in! Wow! This was great. It kept me turning pages invested in what would happen next.

After the loss of Sadie’s husband, she retreats to a cabin in the woods to work on her screenplay. But the woods begin to haunt Sadie along with her memories. And Then There Was Silence delicately explores loss as the mystery unfolds into the supernatural with a unique look into Salem. This is an engaging and atmospheric story with dark twists the reader won’t see coming.