Silentis

by M. Susanne Wiggins

The universe doesn’t smile on Payton Raynor. It smirks. Rather than choke on the splinters of hopes and dreams, he views suicide as a way to escape from his family’s legacy. When learning the history class’ end-of-year assignment, his plan to carry out a school shooting before turning the gun on himself derails. He struggles now to decide which, if any, of his teammates to take with him when he dies. Paced over the course of one thrilling night trapped inside a southern Victorian cemetery, SILENTIS is an atmospheric rollercoaster ride of intrigue, twists and turns, a secret vendetta, and an unexpected ending. It’s not just the humidity ready to pounce, nor is it Payton. Under the glow of lamp post lights, the 1850s cemetery is like a foreign world to them—so different from the one existing under the sun. Silentis becomes the city of the not-so-silent. Five high school seniors enter, but only four will exit when the gates reopen.

218 pages, Paperback

Published January 26, 2016

About the author

M. Susanne Wiggins respectfully misbehaves in downtown Charleston, South Carolina, living vicariously through the historic city's bounty of diverse tourists and residents, and their many tales, adventures, and stories. They are, without a doubt, the workhorses of her imagination. Without them, and the vibrant snapshots of their lives, she says, “I am but an empty page. They've earned a standing ovation, and my undying gratitude, because there’s a little bit of each of them in everything I write.”

Reviews

[G.J. Griffiths · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I started reading this book I had all of the wrong ideas about it. From rapid-reading the blurb I thought that it was a YA thriller about a suicidal student on a high school romp with his classmates in a spooky Victorian graveyard. I assumed that it would probably all turn out well in the end. There were elements of the tale that I dislike in a book and that often make me hate what I am reading from beginning to end, but being a stubborn and determined ‘avid old(er) reader’ then I will usually persist reading most books until the denouement – particularly thrillers. The contemporary story is related in the first person (dislike) by Payton Raynor and it is a gothic style (dislike) tale with many supernatural (dislike) occurrences that are essential to the telling.

However, when an intriguing novel is told with such skill and talent, as well demonstrated by new author M. Susanne Wiggins, then I am hooked! The characters and conversations are completely believable and so accurately written, that this very spooky and disturbing story is one that will stay in the mind long afterwards. It has plenty of surprising, even shocking, twists and turns; as well as the half-expected, occasional, touches of teenage randiness between Payton and Ava. This burgeoning relationship serves to cast doubts in his mind about carrying out his plans, revenge-killing plans that, unfortunately, we all too often hear about in today’s media. Silentis is a compelling but disturbing novel, with a totally unexpected ending that will challenge a reader’s logic and emotions.