The Silent Muse

Deadly Ambition #5

by Lauren Ling Brown, Jess Nahikian (Narrator)

1 hour, 33 minutes

An artist discovers the deadly consequences of ambition and secrets in a gripping short story by Lauren Ling Brown, national bestselling author of Society of Lies.

Struggling artist Hannah Brennan finds her muse in a gorgeous unfinished painting of a reclining woman at an amateur artist’s estate sale. It’s exactly the mix of classic and avant-garde that she’s aiming for. But inspiration crosses the line when, with just a few polishing touches, she passes off the dead man’s art as her own. Suddenly, Hannah is the one to watch in the New York art scene. And someone is watching. Someone who knows the truth about Hannah’s mysterious muse.

Lauren Ling Brown’s The Silent Muse is part of the Deadly Ambition collection, stories about greed, control, and the sinister side of making dreams come true. They can be read or listened to in one bingeable sitting.

Genres: Audiobook, Short Stories, Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Mystery, Adult

Audible Audio

First published April 1, 2026

About the author

Lauren Ling Brown graduated from Princeton and USC School of Cinematic Arts with a BA in English literature and an MFA in film production with a focus in screenwriting. She currently resides in Los Angeles, California, where she works as a film editor.

Reviews

[Jayme C (Brunetteslikebookstoo) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This short story was my first read from author Lauren Ling Brown, national bestselling author of “Society of Lies” a past Reese’s Book Club selection, and the fifth story in the “Deadly Ambition” collection.

The newest Amazon Original short story collection focuses on stories about Greed, Control, and the Sinister side of making dreams come true.

This one is about a struggling artist named Hannah Brennan who purchases an unfinished painting of a reclining woman at an artist’s estate sale-and then after adding a few brush strokes of her own-she passes off the dead man’s art as her own.

Suddenly, Hannah is the one to watch in the New York art scene.

But, somebody knows the truth-and they don’t plan on keeping her secret.

Although this wasn’t a favorite for me, that is not to say that it isn’t without its surprises!

Read or listen one story at a time or binge on them all at once! 48 pages

AVAILABLE now if you have AMAZON PRIME

[chantalsbookstuff · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 rounded up

[Alya ( 20 comments restriction ) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thoughts
After reading Society of Lies by this author I was excited to give her writing another go and to my surprise she lowkey delivered considering how short it was it was rather enjoyable would've yet again loved a longer version

Plot Summary
Struggling artist Hannah Brennan finds an unfinished painting that perfectly suits her style and passes it off as her own. Her career quickly takes off; but someone knows the truth and is watching her closely.

My Bookstagram

[Jonetta · Rating 4 out of 5]

the setup…
Hannah Brennan is a young artist trying to breakthrough the art community in New York City. An influential friend of her late mother is willing to give her a shot but the painting she submits for review doesn’t meet the woman’s expectations. A mysterious woman she meets at an estate sale gives her an unfinished painting by her late husband that Hannah finds mesmerizing, using it as inspiration for her project. But it’s the unfinished painting her mentor wants her to finish…and Hannah claims it as her own work. Uh, oh.

the heart of the story…
I tried not to judge Hannah’s decision as her heart was in the right place and she piled enough guilt on herself once she’d crossed that bridge. I also knew there would be a reckoning.

the narration…
This is my first listening experience of Jess Nahikian and she has a wonderful tone, great storytelling skills and mastery of voice distinctions. I enjoyed her performance.

the bottom line…
I liked Hannah and got caught up in her circumstances. The story sort of glides to that reckoning, one I saw coming, though there was a nice little surprise I hadn’t foreseen. While a little predictable, it was still highly entertaining. Ambition can indeed be deadly. 3.5 stars

Posted on Blue Mood Café

(Thanks to Brilliance Audio and NetGalley for my complimentary copy of the entire collection. All opinions are my own.)

[Alan (the Lone Librarian) Teder · Rating 4 out of 5]

An Eye for Art
A review of the Amazon Original Stories eBook released on Kindle and Audio on April 1, 2026.

Twenty minutes later I’ve completed my walk through the West Village and nearly forgotten about the strange woman. But crossing the street, I see her again on the other side of the road, watching me in a way that makes my skin prickle. Has she been following me?

Hannah Brennan is a young artist in New York City who is looking for a breakthrough in its art scene. She has a potential ally in a gallery owner who was her mother's friend back in their youth. But Hannah's own work isn't making an impression.

Seemingly by chance she comes upon an estate sale where there are previously unshown paintings by a deceased amateur artist. One painting is unfinished and Hannah sees it as a potential muse for her own work and takes it home. But then the gallery owner drops in unexpectantly and declares the (unsigned) unfinished piece to be perfect for Hannah's debut. Will she succumb to temptation and pass the painting off as her own?

The Silent Muse takes that starting premise and makes several surprising twists and reveals before it arrives at a potentially deadly conclusion. I quite enjoyed it.

It was a pleasure to return to my 4-star streak in the Deadly Ambition series after a disappointment in the previous entry. Fictions related to art are admittedly a tiny shelf in my sub-genre categories, but I find especial delight in stories of art forgeries and grifts. The Silent Muse was a perfect fit for that niche.

Trivia and Links
Author Lauren Ling Brown is a writer of thrillers who also works as a film editor and writing coach. Her first novel and most popular book (based on current GR ratings and reviews) is Society of Lies (2024). For further information see her website at LaurenLingBrown.com.

The Silent Muse is the 5th of 6 stories in the Deadly Ambition anthology collection from Amazon Original Stories released on April 1, 2026. The promo for the collection reads:

What drives someone to keep reaching for all that glitters, no matter the price? It’s easy to believe that more is better: more acclaim, more control, more wealth. But when dreams are fueled by greed, they can quickly twist into nightmares. These six propulsive short stories explore what happens when the true cost of ambition comes due.

You can watch for current and past Amazon Original Stories which are usually paired with their Audible Original narrations at an Amazon page here and see the Deadly Ambition collection here (links goes to Amazon US, adjust for your own country or region).

[Casey Reads 🌸 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chose to read this one 2nd from the series as it had great reviews, but unfortunately I did not enjoy it as much as others did.

The art story felt boring to me and everything was a bit too predictable at the end. This one wasn’t horrible, but wasn’t for me. 2.5 rounded up.

[STEPH · Rating 1 out of 5]

Okay, I did not like this at all.

Predictable twist, unlikeable characters, and a boring premise.

Sorry, but this one just didn’t work for me.

[Shannon Moeser · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Silent Muse has a few interesting parts, but these parts didn't merge into a coherent whole. Hannah was given a painting, which she inadvertently passed off as her own work, but this misappropriation wasn't deliberate; it was an accident due to showing the original to the wrong person. Then, after Hannah found fame on the basis of her own work, it turns out that she was set up by the owner of the original painting, the person who had given her the painting that started her career rolling (and the only artwork that she didn't legitimately produce).

It was obvious quite early in narrative:
(1) who the owner of the original painting, the one given to Hannah, had once been; and
(2) who the model in the original painting had once been.

Consequently, much of the story was predictable. There was one short unexpected twist near the end. But the inconclusive ending ruined the entire narrative. 1.5⭐️


[Lauren Ling Ling Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you for reading my short story, THE SILENT MUSE. The inspiration for this story came from several places, the first being that my mother is an artist. She is a wonderful oil painter who paints landscapes and the one who first took me to the Met, who signed me up for painting and drawing lessons as a kid, and encouraged me to pursue creativity in many forms. Fortunately, the rest of the story came from imagination and the question: how much of our art is ours alone vs a product of the materials we consume and by which we are influenced?

I had read Who Is the Bad Art Friend? the 2021 article by Robert Kolker published in The New York Times Magazine as well as the book Yellowface by RF Kuang and wondered what a person would do if they were desperate for success and fame at all costs. That’s when I discovered Hannah, a struggling artist who had recently lost her mother, and what starts as a tiny little piece of inspiration spirals into stalking, revenge, and possibly even murder…

[Bo.reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Silent Muse is a fast, tense short story about ambition, art, and the cost of success that isn’t really yours. Hannah Brennan finds inspiration in an unfinished painting and passes it off as her own, and her rise in the New York art scene is quick—but so is that creeping feeling someone knows exactly what she’s done.

After reading a few stories in this collection, this one especially gave me that slightly nostalgic, anthology-TV feel — like watching episodes of Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction (if anyone remembers that series).

This whole collection has been a fun one to read through, and I’m looking forward to finishing the last two. As a new-to-me author, I’m also looking forward to reading more of Lauren Ling Brown’s work.

[Maddy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 ⭐️
A quick, overall thrilling listen. I did end up predicting the twist, but it was still entertaining enough to keep me engaged. The FMC wasn’t my favorite… like girl get it together but it made for a fun, dramatic ride. 😅

[Catherine (catisbookedup) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love fun short reads or listens in this case!
This definitely gave me Yellowface vibes but make it about art.
Enjoyable for a novella even though the twists were more of a surprise for the main character than they were for the reader but I enjoyed this! The narration on this was very atmospheric also!

Many thanks to Brilliance Publishing and Amazon stories for providing me with a copy of the audiobook via NetGalley for review.

[Catbytheseareads ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good short story, if you enjoy mystery/thrillers its a must read!!

[Shannon Moeser · Rating 1 out of 5]

A short story in the Deadly Ambitions Collection. It takes about an hour to read.

The Silent Muse has a few interesting parts, but these parts didn't merge into a coherent whole. Hannah was given a painting, which she inadvertently passed off as her own work, but this misappropriation wasn't deliberate; it was an accident due to showing the original to the wrong person. Then, after Hannah found fame on the basis of her own work, it turns out that she was set up by the owner of the original painting, the person who had given her the painting that started her career rolling (and the only artwork that she didn't legitimately produce).

It was obvious quite early in narrative:
(1) who the owner of the original painting, the one given to Hannah, had once been; and
(2) who the model in the original painting had once been.
Consequently, much of the story was predictable.

There was one short unexpected twist near the end. But the inconclusive ending ruined the entire narrative. 1.5⭐️


[Bookaholic__Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded to 4

The Silent Muse is the 5th book in the Deadly Ambition collection and at the time of my review the only one that I have read. Author Lauren Ling Brown has been of interest to me for awhile now because I've been wanting to read the Society of lies.

Hannah Brennan is a struggling artist in NYC who just wants her big break. She has tried to sell her work to galleries and she just never seems to make the cut. She attends an artist estate sale where she discovers an unfinished painting of a woman... But she can't stop wondering why this woman reminds her so much of herself?! She makes a rash decision to finish the art piece and pass it off entirely as her own. After finishing the painting she becomes a bit of an overnight success but it quickly becomes apparent that someone knows the truth about the painting.

The silent muse does a good job exploring the themes of greed, pressures of success and family secrets. It's a quick read, roughly an hour or two at most. There is a decent enough twist...I can't think of any reasons to not give this story and the others in the collection a chance.

I received a copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Kandace · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hannah is a painter, and she’s trying to sell her art. She’s rejected, but her mother’s friend gives her some extra time. She stumbles upon an estate sale and finds a beautiful painting… and passes it off as her own by accident. Until it wasn’t an accident anymore. But now? Someone knows what she’s done. And she can’t hide.

3.5 stars because whattttttttttt

[Celeste Velocci (bookrecs_by_celeste) · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was okay! These short stories in this collection have been hit or miss for me and this one hit kind of mid!

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strange and good story.

[Aggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the fifth installment of the Deadly Ambition Collection. I enjoyed this one. Perfect quick read just as a great novella should be.

[always reading ashley]

3.25 stars
🎧

[ADHD Book ✨Gal · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

The one twist obvious but went in a different direction and ending I didn’t see.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a tale of art, greed and lies. I liked how everything wrapped up in the end.

[mimi (depression slump) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little predictable, but a major improvement from the author’s first book.

↠ 3 stars

Thanks to Amazon Original Stories and NetGalley, who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

[Rania Kamal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Though it was predictable but still i enjoyed it.

[Rachel Marek · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had such a fantastic time listening to The Silent Muse by Lauren Ling Brown. Throughout this short story, I was gasping, my jaw was dropping, and totally entranced. The Silent Muse follows struggling artist Hannah as she tries to make it in the art world and how her world turns upside down when she stumbles upon an estate sale finding her new muse, an unfinished painting. From there, the reader is swept through twists and turns until the very end of the novel. I was engrossed in the story for every single second. I was definitely shocked by the plot and was devastated when this short story was over because I wanted more! I was definitely picking up on some of Lauren's inspirations like Yellowface by RF Kuang. The Silent Muse definitely continues the conversation of what someone will do for success and what will they do when they are so desperate.

This was a fantastic audiobook narrated by Jess Nahikian. Jess did a wonderful job narrating and voicing the different characters. The audiobook kept me glued to the story and did not stop until it was over.

When I saw that this was publishing I knew I had to listen! I'm so grateful to Lauren for sending me a widget for this one. A big thank you to Lauren Ling Brown, Brilliance Publishing, and NetGalley for this ALC to review!

[Marianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Silent Muse by Lauren Ling Brown: aspiring artist Hannah Brennan is offered a chance at the exclusive gallery owned by a friend of her late mother’s, but the painting she tenders doesn’t suit. She has a week to produce something that will. When she happens upon just the thing at an estate sale, she has no intention of passing it off as her own, but the gallery owner insists on this one. A year on, Hannah is the talk of the town, but are her chickens coming home to roost?
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whoa!!

Great plot twist!!

When an artist, Hannah, is blocked for inspiration, she sees a painting at an estate sale that happens to inspire her to paint. But when the gallery owner, Isabella, comes by early to look at her work, she chooses the piece that Hannah was getting her inspiration from, thinking that Hannah had painted it. Before Hannah could correct her, Isabella left and Hannah was $70,000 richer.

A year later, Hannah's career exploded. She painted several pieces, sold them all. She was written up in the NY Times by the best critics, and has a nice bank account. But the biggest surprise is yet to come!

A definite must read!

[~Bellegirl91~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was actually a good twists and turns kind of story not gonna lie. And the ending was actually decent as well. Interesting concept and intriguing all at once. Now I'm hoping the last one of this collection will be good too. Funny how I actually DISLIKED the very first story in this collection buy the ones AFTER up to this one have actually been surprisingly well written. So fingers crossed the last one is also good!!

[Lili Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quick story of acting out of desperation and resulting guilt, with a surprising twist! I read this as part of the Deadly Ambition Collection from Amazon Books. Thank-you, Lauren Ling Brown and Amazon Books for this complimentary copy. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

[Victoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

very short down to the point book about one thing and giving you a twist to another story line