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Silver
A brutal murder rocks the quiet town of Mattfield, Kansas.
This doesn't happen here
.
On the cusp of retirement, Sheriff Carl Mills investigates an animalistic crime as he comes to terms with overstaying his welcome. Meanwhile, Brett Adams, an aggrieved high school senior in a new town, finds himself increasingly entangled in the web of events, alongside his fragmented family. Brett's younger brother, Dalton, stumbles upon a legend buried in the town's past, and disparate outsiders turn their attention to the rural community as a pattern emerges. Death casts its shadow, uniting those willing to stand together and fight.
Experience a 150-year-old horror thriller mystery as it unfolds through their eyes.
Monsters are real. Some of them are human.
If you love werewolf books for adults or paranormal mystery and suspense from authors like Stephen King, and Dean Koontz, you'll devour Silver. Joining the ranks of horror mystery books, Silver is impossible to put down.
On the cusp of retirement, Sheriff Carl Mills investigates an animalistic crime as he comes to terms with overstaying his welcome. Meanwhile, Brett Adams, an aggrieved high school senior in a new town, finds himself increasingly entangled in the web of events, alongside his fragmented family. Brett's younger brother, Dalton, stumbles upon a legend buried in the town's past, and disparate outsiders turn their attention to the rural community as a pattern emerges. Death casts its shadow, uniting those willing to stand together and fight.
Experience a 150-year-old horror thriller mystery as it unfolds through their eyes.
Monsters are real. Some of them are human.
If you love werewolf books for adults or paranormal mystery and suspense from authors like Stephen King, and Dean Koontz, you'll devour Silver. Joining the ranks of horror mystery books, Silver is impossible to put down.
- GenresHorror
458 pages, Paperback
Published May 17, 2025
6 people are currently reading
35 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
October 20, 2025
I was so hyped to jump right into
‘Silver’
as my werewolf backlog is getting dangerously low (need to hunt for more werewolf books, assuming there are any left. I think I've already purchased every one that exists), but I just couldn’t get past the family drama and the fact that you get to the best, juicy parts (the werewolf) almost halfway through the story.
The novel is too long and focuses a lot in the beginning on this woman who left her husband to live with her two sons in the Kansas countryside. Needless to say, I couldn’t care less about their domestic upheaval and I was more interested in the attacks, in the werewolf who certainly takes its sweet time (much like the dragons in R.R. Martin’s GOT novels). I was literally screaming inside: ‘When do I get to see it? When do I get to read about the gory, violent attacks?’
I didn’t connect to any character either, so much descriptions on their lives and trauma and social commentary that I simply gave up caring. This was supposed to be a horror book, not a drama novel, but I felt no horror, I felt no suspense, there’s no viciousness and the ferocity I was waiting for.
The narrative is simplistic. Pages and pages of dumped actions and descriptions of what characters do and how they look; literally the prose, the way it’s being told, screams amateur, I guess? And it shouldn’t be a bad thing, but it feels somewhat cheap, raw, unpolished . Think stuff like: Dalton was doing this...Brett looked down and...their mom was cooking...Cassie strolled-'. Seriously, this is just the manuscript of the book, ideas and sentences without any editing, feels more like directives for actors on a movie set. Really sorry, but I guess an editor would’ve helped a lot here and surely the book would’ve made it a solid 4 stars rating, not to mention a bit shorter.
Don’t get me wrong, there’s a lot of potential, the author has a raw talent that with the right amount of editing and/or polishing the dialogue and prose, he can build up something really good.
Many, many thanks to Dylan Thyer, BooksGoSocial, and NetGalley for the ARC. This is a voluntary review, reflecting solely my opinion.
The novel is too long and focuses a lot in the beginning on this woman who left her husband to live with her two sons in the Kansas countryside. Needless to say, I couldn’t care less about their domestic upheaval and I was more interested in the attacks, in the werewolf who certainly takes its sweet time (much like the dragons in R.R. Martin’s GOT novels). I was literally screaming inside: ‘When do I get to see it? When do I get to read about the gory, violent attacks?’
I didn’t connect to any character either, so much descriptions on their lives and trauma and social commentary that I simply gave up caring. This was supposed to be a horror book, not a drama novel, but I felt no horror, I felt no suspense, there’s no viciousness and the ferocity I was waiting for.
The narrative is simplistic. Pages and pages of dumped actions and descriptions of what characters do and how they look; literally the prose, the way it’s being told, screams amateur, I guess? And it shouldn’t be a bad thing, but it feels somewhat cheap, raw, unpolished . Think stuff like: Dalton was doing this...Brett looked down and...their mom was cooking...Cassie strolled-'. Seriously, this is just the manuscript of the book, ideas and sentences without any editing, feels more like directives for actors on a movie set. Really sorry, but I guess an editor would’ve helped a lot here and surely the book would’ve made it a solid 4 stars rating, not to mention a bit shorter.
Don’t get me wrong, there’s a lot of potential, the author has a raw talent that with the right amount of editing and/or polishing the dialogue and prose, he can build up something really good.
Many, many thanks to Dylan Thyer, BooksGoSocial, and NetGalley for the ARC. This is a voluntary review, reflecting solely my opinion.
June 7, 2025
You need to read Silver. I typically avoid the horror genre, but I do enjoy thrillers, and this was creepy and captivating without giving me nightmares. The descriptions were really well done. The author makes it easy to imagine each scene (even the gory ones - yuck). I love books that bounce from one character's perspective to another, and this does that seamlessly. I thought it was interesting how easy it was to relate to the high school characters in the book - the setting made their lives relatable for those of us from small towns. The historical references, which are my jam since I usually read historical fiction, gave the story an extra layer of interest. This book has a strong, steady pace - I really couldn't put it down. At one point, my jaw had totally dropped. There were a few twists that I did not see coming! The entire story kept me hooked from start to finish. I'm so impressed that the author was able to weave in many different components into one well-written book. I'm recommending it to all of my friends, and I can't wait to read more from this author in the future.
May 30, 2025
This book was a change from my usual genres, but I think that’s part of why I liked it so much! For me it was unpredictable, but in the best way.
I really enjoyed the use of our local history in building the story. Being from the area that inspired the setting made it more thrilling!
Once I got to the end of part 1 I had a hard time putting it down.
I’m hoping for more stories that involved the Bastion or maybe Brett’s new life in Australia. 🤞🏻
I really enjoyed the use of our local history in building the story. Being from the area that inspired the setting made it more thrilling!
Once I got to the end of part 1 I had a hard time putting it down.
I’m hoping for more stories that involved the Bastion or maybe Brett’s new life in Australia. 🤞🏻
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 2, 2025
This book will keep you guessing from beginning to end. I kept trying to piece it all together & every time I thought I had it figured out, I didn’t. The author did a great job developing characters & describing the setting. Loved that Mattfield, KS was based on Mound City. I highly recommend you read this book, but be prepared to get hooked & get nothing else done! 🤩 🌟
October 29, 2025
I received a free copy through Netgalley - this review is my own.
Silver was just what I was looking for in a scary read leading into Halloween. I found the characters to be believable in their thoughts and actions. Some I liked, some I did not; a plus in a horror novel. The story flowed well and was exciting. If you are looking for plenty of action and a bit of gore, this will suit. While there was quite a bit of death, the descriptions of those deaths were just enough to get the point across; no lingering on vomit-inducing details. Overall, an exciting horror tale.
I did find a few things that took me away from the story. Throughout the book, there was no line spacing between speakers. One character would say something and instead of a space, the next character would speak - all in the same paragraph. It wasn't too difficult to figure out who was saying what but I found it distracting. Another item was the weird alphabet between chapters. I'm guessing this is a place marker that was never removed, which would be an easy fix. And, lastly, a few words used in the wrong places: peak instead of peek and shutter instead of shudder. That said, I thoroughly enjoyed the story and will look for more tales from this author.
Silver was just what I was looking for in a scary read leading into Halloween. I found the characters to be believable in their thoughts and actions. Some I liked, some I did not; a plus in a horror novel. The story flowed well and was exciting. If you are looking for plenty of action and a bit of gore, this will suit. While there was quite a bit of death, the descriptions of those deaths were just enough to get the point across; no lingering on vomit-inducing details. Overall, an exciting horror tale.
I did find a few things that took me away from the story. Throughout the book, there was no line spacing between speakers. One character would say something and instead of a space, the next character would speak - all in the same paragraph. It wasn't too difficult to figure out who was saying what but I found it distracting. Another item was the weird alphabet between chapters. I'm guessing this is a place marker that was never removed, which would be an easy fix. And, lastly, a few words used in the wrong places: peak instead of peek and shutter instead of shudder. That said, I thoroughly enjoyed the story and will look for more tales from this author.
October 25, 2025
Brett and Dalton Adam have recently moved to Mattfield. Their parents are dealing with a separation, and their mother moved them to her hometown. Mattfield has history, lore, and a current murder near their town.
Should the people of Mattfield be worried about anything?
The story starts off centering on the young high school students and all the town history. This is very important because it gives us the premise for the story and the town lore. The characters are very relatable, and we all know of haunted, creepy town like Mattfield with their own creature that haunts people. This book gives us horror, historical mystery, and lots of twists.
Thank you, Netgalley and BooksGoSocial, for this eARC. All opinions are entirely my own.
Should the people of Mattfield be worried about anything?
The story starts off centering on the young high school students and all the town history. This is very important because it gives us the premise for the story and the town lore. The characters are very relatable, and we all know of haunted, creepy town like Mattfield with their own creature that haunts people. This book gives us horror, historical mystery, and lots of twists.
Thank you, Netgalley and BooksGoSocial, for this eARC. All opinions are entirely my own.
November 1, 2025
Silver, by Dylan Thyer, is at odds with its hype. On Amazon, the sell copy states: “If you love werewolf books for adults or paranormal mystery and suspense from authors like Stephen King and Dean Koontz, you'll devour Silver. Joining the ranks of horror mystery books, Silver is impossible to put down.” There are tiny bits and pieces that fulfill that statement, but overall, there is nothing King—or even Koontz—about it. (I'm a huge Stephen King fan; Koontz, not so much.) There’s no doubt that King and Koontz were icons of the golden age of horror back in the seventies and eighties.
The prologue hints at a horror story, but the opening chapters are devoted to a mother uprooting her two teenage sons after a marital betrayal and moving them to the small Kansas town where she grew up. Brett, the elder son, is angry at the world—at his father for having an affair, at his mother for moving them from the city, and from his friends. The younger son, Dalton, is more sanguine about the situation.
Mattfield, Kansas, is a Friday Night Lights sort of town. Having never been a teenage boy in middle America, I find myself observing rather than relating—especially to the testosterone-fueled football culture. It’s this culture that provides Brett with an outlet for some of his rage. It’s also a place where they still test the new guy with a snipe hunt.
We’re introduced to an old woman farmer whose cow has been mutilated. There’s the brutal murder of a man at a local quarry. We’re taken off on a tangent to meet a big-game hunter on the prowl for a man-eating tiger in Nepal—because his residence also happens to be in Kansas. Then it’s back to football, the homecoming game and dance, and the gruesome mutilation of several teens. Two survive; one is conscious but afraid to tell the tale. And don’t let me forget the stateless organization called Bastian, whose members must give up their citizenship to join. For good measure, Thyer throws in a Native American Tribal Council. Despite all this, there’s no inciting incident to bind everything together.
Part Two offers the details of the first mutilation murder, immediately followed by how the teens’ families are notified of their demise. Then our intrepid tiger hunter is brought into the mix.
Nothing about this book flows from chapter to chapter. Even within chapters, there are leaps from here to there that are confounding. Names are hard to follow because the characters to whom the names are attached are not clearly introduced. There’s someone named Nicolas who is never introduced but may be a member of the Osage Tribal Council.
I promised to read and review Silver, and that’s just what I’m doing. I was betrayed by the hype and would suggest that calling to fans of King and Koontz is a disservice to both of these long-time horror favorites—not to mention readers taken in by the statement. I can’t, in good conscience, recommend this book in its current iteration. It needs the hand of a good copy editor and a good story editor. There may be the kernel of a horror story worthy of a reader’s time. This is not it.
The prologue hints at a horror story, but the opening chapters are devoted to a mother uprooting her two teenage sons after a marital betrayal and moving them to the small Kansas town where she grew up. Brett, the elder son, is angry at the world—at his father for having an affair, at his mother for moving them from the city, and from his friends. The younger son, Dalton, is more sanguine about the situation.
Mattfield, Kansas, is a Friday Night Lights sort of town. Having never been a teenage boy in middle America, I find myself observing rather than relating—especially to the testosterone-fueled football culture. It’s this culture that provides Brett with an outlet for some of his rage. It’s also a place where they still test the new guy with a snipe hunt.
We’re introduced to an old woman farmer whose cow has been mutilated. There’s the brutal murder of a man at a local quarry. We’re taken off on a tangent to meet a big-game hunter on the prowl for a man-eating tiger in Nepal—because his residence also happens to be in Kansas. Then it’s back to football, the homecoming game and dance, and the gruesome mutilation of several teens. Two survive; one is conscious but afraid to tell the tale. And don’t let me forget the stateless organization called Bastian, whose members must give up their citizenship to join. For good measure, Thyer throws in a Native American Tribal Council. Despite all this, there’s no inciting incident to bind everything together.
Part Two offers the details of the first mutilation murder, immediately followed by how the teens’ families are notified of their demise. Then our intrepid tiger hunter is brought into the mix.
Nothing about this book flows from chapter to chapter. Even within chapters, there are leaps from here to there that are confounding. Names are hard to follow because the characters to whom the names are attached are not clearly introduced. There’s someone named Nicolas who is never introduced but may be a member of the Osage Tribal Council.
I promised to read and review Silver, and that’s just what I’m doing. I was betrayed by the hype and would suggest that calling to fans of King and Koontz is a disservice to both of these long-time horror favorites—not to mention readers taken in by the statement. I can’t, in good conscience, recommend this book in its current iteration. It needs the hand of a good copy editor and a good story editor. There may be the kernel of a horror story worthy of a reader’s time. This is not it.
June 14, 2025
What a great debut novel! Brett and Dalton, 2 city transplant kids, start to look into the unusual aspects of the small town they’ve been forced to move to, Mattfield, KS. In the meantime, there has been an unusual murder just outside the town. Is it at all related to Mattfield’s history? Only time will tell.
I really enjoyed this one! Very well written with great flow and world building. The first half really focuses on learning all the characters, in and out of the town, that will play a huge role in the remainder of the novel. There’s lots to learn and Thyer does a great job of weaving all their stories together. Then we get to the back half, where there is non-stop terror and mayhem. Very well paced. I couldn’t put it down and was on the edge of my seat. Who, or what, is terrorizing the town? Read to find out!
I really enjoyed this one! Very well written with great flow and world building. The first half really focuses on learning all the characters, in and out of the town, that will play a huge role in the remainder of the novel. There’s lots to learn and Thyer does a great job of weaving all their stories together. Then we get to the back half, where there is non-stop terror and mayhem. Very well paced. I couldn’t put it down and was on the edge of my seat. Who, or what, is terrorizing the town? Read to find out!
August 25, 2025
am i a horror girly? no i am not. but i had to read this book bc of the hometown connections & i genuinely enjoyed it (despite the deep anxiety it gave me …. this is why i don’t read horror). realistically no horror book will ever be five stars for me but this is as close at it gets SO — five stars. gotta support my fellow linn co ppl. and if there is a sequel i will put myself through this again to read it. can’t wait <3
June 20, 2025
This book will keep you captivated at every turn. When I thought I had it figured out I was so wrong. Best read of the year for me. Can’t wait to see what other books this author has in store for us.
October 16, 2025
Trust me when I say that I LOVE horror and always have so it pains me to give any horror novel a 2 star rating and even that, I fear may go down a star as I continue to write, so I'll keep this brief.
We know from the title and the blurb about the book that this is going to be about werewolves right? So why, on earth, does it take until halfway through the book to get into the action? Really, REALLY poor editing on the part of the writer and the editor. I can tell you the history of Kansas, everyone who fought in the civil war from Kansas, the angst and anguishes of divorce from the perspectives of the mother and two teenage sons. I can tell you what it's like to be the adopted Vietnamese son growing up in a white family in white bread Kansas - although, it would be one person's opinion only and WOW did this book offer a lot of personal opinions about divorce, climate change - or rather, that it is a hoax - the problems with suburbia and people moving from the cities driving up housing prices... Do you notice a anything yet? Right. NONE of this has to do with werewolves. Oh, and the sheriff should have retired a year ago but he didn't and he hates cold coffee.
The writing is boring, plodding, clumsy and heavy handed. I barely made it through to the end and I only did that because it's October and I love Halloween. Others recommend this book so I'm outlier but, seriously, I don't recommend Silver. There are simply too many great horror tales in the genre to waste your time on boring.
We know from the title and the blurb about the book that this is going to be about werewolves right? So why, on earth, does it take until halfway through the book to get into the action? Really, REALLY poor editing on the part of the writer and the editor. I can tell you the history of Kansas, everyone who fought in the civil war from Kansas, the angst and anguishes of divorce from the perspectives of the mother and two teenage sons. I can tell you what it's like to be the adopted Vietnamese son growing up in a white family in white bread Kansas - although, it would be one person's opinion only and WOW did this book offer a lot of personal opinions about divorce, climate change - or rather, that it is a hoax - the problems with suburbia and people moving from the cities driving up housing prices... Do you notice a anything yet? Right. NONE of this has to do with werewolves. Oh, and the sheriff should have retired a year ago but he didn't and he hates cold coffee.
The writing is boring, plodding, clumsy and heavy handed. I barely made it through to the end and I only did that because it's October and I love Halloween. Others recommend this book so I'm outlier but, seriously, I don't recommend Silver. There are simply too many great horror tales in the genre to waste your time on boring.
October 11, 2025
Dylan Thyer, I'm going to hold your hand when I say this. You need to EDIT this book down. There is no reason in the world that this needs to be 526 pages. You could easily cut 200 pages out of this. It's tedious to read. This is advertised as a werewolf horror thriller. There was not a single freaking werewolf until like 45% of the book. This is a family drama at most. The pace is GLACIAL. I wanted so hard to give this is a chance but it was bored, plain and simple. I have never wished for a werewolf to eat an entire family before in my life. I was that bored. The two sons in the story are annoying as heck. The oldest is an entitled brat. The youngest is so unbelievable. What teen boy in 2025 'hates computers and electronics'. I'm genuinely sorry to be writing this review because I really wanted to be all in but it was a struggle. Thank you Netgalley for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this.
October 20, 2025
I read this just in time for Spooky Season (which is really all year round for me).
Brothers Brett and Dalton and their mom Julia move back to Julia's old hometown after their dad Michael had an affair.
Unbeknownst to them, a long buried creature will be unearthed to terrorize the small town.
I received the ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Maybe it was because I was reading this on a device and not an actual book? But it seemed really long. It was very wordy and there were parts that could have been a shorter.
I also don't think some of the characters conversations seemed realistc. Especially the teenagers.
Now on to what I did like.
It was very atmospheric. The scary parts were fast paced and tense. The creatures were described very well.
The back story (and premise) was good. The book was well written.
The author wasn't afraid to push the horror envelope. Everyone isn't safe.
3.5-4 stars.
Brothers Brett and Dalton and their mom Julia move back to Julia's old hometown after their dad Michael had an affair.
Unbeknownst to them, a long buried creature will be unearthed to terrorize the small town.
I received the ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Maybe it was because I was reading this on a device and not an actual book? But it seemed really long. It was very wordy and there were parts that could have been a shorter.
I also don't think some of the characters conversations seemed realistc. Especially the teenagers.
Now on to what I did like.
It was very atmospheric. The scary parts were fast paced and tense. The creatures were described very well.
The back story (and premise) was good. The book was well written.
The author wasn't afraid to push the horror envelope. Everyone isn't safe.
3.5-4 stars.
October 28, 2025
A crime thriller, Silver (2025) by Dylan Thyer is set in the small Kansas town of Mattfield. The gentle opening scene of a rancher checking her cattle herd quickly turns grizzly when she spots a strange, hairy, biped creature. The rancher’s murder sets off a police investigation, that quickly morphs into a hunt for a serial killer. Meanwhile, the local high school teenagers are attracted to an old horror legend and go hunting for the mysterious creature. This paranormal mystery has dual narrative elements, with crime mystery and werewolf elements. Disappointingly, it satisfies neither of the genre with its jumpy start, then a slow-burning horror tale, with some gory scenes and an unlikely ending. So overall, it's probably better targeted to a youth audience in what is an ordinary, two star read rating. The opinions herein are totally my own and freely given, although I received an ARC in exchange for an independent review.
October 13, 2025
Silver was slower than I expected — not necessarily in a bad way, but in that deliberate, atmospheric kind of slowness that makes you question every detail. While I usually like my werewolf stories to bare their teeth a little sooner, I can’t deny that Dylan Thyer knows how to weave a mystery with precision. Every clue, every quiet moment, builds toward something larger, and by the time things start moving, you realize all that setup mattered.
The writing itself is detailed — sometimes painfully detailed — but that’s exactly what makes the mystery work. If you think you’ve figured it out early, trust me, you haven’t. The shifting POVs are handled smoothly, offering different angles without ever feeling jarring.
Just a quick heads-up: though it reads like adult horror, most of the main characters are high school students.
The writing itself is detailed — sometimes painfully detailed — but that’s exactly what makes the mystery work. If you think you’ve figured it out early, trust me, you haven’t. The shifting POVs are handled smoothly, offering different angles without ever feeling jarring.
Just a quick heads-up: though it reads like adult horror, most of the main characters are high school students.
May 30, 2025
Definitely a step out of my comfort zone but this novel grabs your attention on page one and holds it hostage until page 448! Great character development and interesting to see how all of the pieces fit together! A must read!!
September 18, 2025
Very well written book for a first published story.
The tragedy of family loss when evil in man and the supernatural aren't dealt with.
I enjoyed the area that he used for his book. Growing up in that county, I noticed several references of local things from my days living in Linn County.
The tragedy of family loss when evil in man and the supernatural aren't dealt with.
I enjoyed the area that he used for his book. Growing up in that county, I noticed several references of local things from my days living in Linn County.
December 31, 2025
I was super excited for this book but I ended up dnf it. It’s more of a family drama than a horror book, and I don’t think the writing is anything like Stephen King or Koontz. Sorry.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews