The Silence

by Kristi Buckel

"A bar-setter in modern zombie horror." - Stephen Paul Sayers, Amazon best-selling author of The Carousel Man and A Taker of Morrows

National Emergency Alert!

Please remain indoors. If you are outside, seek shelter immediately. Dangerous individuals have been identified nationwide attacking nonviolent citizens. The National Guard has been deployed to key areas and sensitive positions throughout the city.

The CDC has confirmed that what we are seeing is, in fact, the reanimation of corpses that have been bitten by the so-called cannibals. We have no reports on how often the deceased are reanimating, how long it takes them to do so, or what the chances are of someone coming back. Please remain calm. Help is on the way.

Genres: Horror

400 pages, Paperback

Published October 1, 2024

About the author

Kristi Buckel writes dark, character-driven fiction where silence isn’t empty—it’s watching.
Her stories explore memory, identity, and the fragile line between human and something else entirely. Blending psychological horror with emotional depth, she’s drawn to characters who are pushed to their limits—and what they become when they refuse to break.

Kristi’s work lives in the spaces between fear and feeling, where monsters remember who they used to be, and survival comes at a cost.

Reviews

[Stitching Ghost]

This one is a more literary take on the zombie apocalypse, which I didn’t expect based on what I had read before from this author. It’s also somewhat of a romance but not in the way you’d expect. I liked the slow grind of repetition and the slow and steady descent into the end and I enjoyed the dual POV structure. That said, I wish their voices were a little more distinctive and that there was a little more grit to it.

3.5 rounded up.

[Gabrielle Branch]

Yesss!!! This was incredible!!!! I want to be a zombie now.

[Kathy]

It wasn't bad... but it wasn't good. The main characters did a lot of silly stuff. It was a more irritating read than enjoyable.

[Raven]

There are so many zombie books out there that it's refreshing to find something so different. This book takes a completely different and unique perspective on zombies. I generally care more about plot than characters, but I found myself really connecting with the characters in this story. I loved watching the FMC develop into a strong, capable individual. The MMC was complex and interesting and I became really attached to him. I was honestly on the edge of my seat from beginning to end, dying to see what would happen to them and also terrified to find out.

The writing is so descriptive and engaging. As someone who reads a lot of horror, including extreme horror and splatterpunk, I'm pretty desensitized to blood, guts, and gore. But the descriptions of zombie attacks and at-home DIY medical procedures so well done even I got chills on a couple occasions.

If you're looking for a fast-paced, action packed zombie story with a unique premise and interesting, multifaceted characters, I definitely recommend The Silence.

[Evelyn Larsen]

The Silence by Kristi Buckel is an intense, atmospheric take on the zombie apocalypse that breathes fresh life into the genre through strong character depth and psychological weight. Opening with the urgency of a national emergency broadcast, the novel follows characters navigating an immediate, harrowing collapse. What elevates the story is its dual-POV structure—contrasting the visceral struggle for survival from the living with the chilling, tragic perspective of a consciousness trapped inside an infected, reanimating body. Buckel balances descriptive gore and high-stakes suspense with an emotionally grounded exploration of trauma, memory, and what remains of our humanity when survival demands everything. For readers looking for a zombie thriller that pairs gritty, unrelenting tension with literary restraint and emotional nuance, The Silence is a compelling and memorable read.

[Jess Wrath]

My first paragraph will be spoiler free! No specific details are spoiled. Only the style in which it is written.

First off, applause for Kristi 👏🏻 EXCELLENT zombie book. Truly refreshing when compared to other zombie apocalypse books or even movies that I’ve watched. If you like zombie themes then read this one! I can’t wait to read her other book that just released. We need more girl so get writing!!


Spoiler-ish coming so stop reading if you are worried about it.

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Okay so the viewpoints in which the books are written. Thank you! It was really cool to have a deep dive into the brain of a zombie as they went through their transition and began zombiehood. This is something I’ve only ever seen in Warm Bodies so it was nice. Also this book isn’t as cheesy as Warm Bodies.

[Mike Garcia]

Kristi Buckel’s The Silence breathes fresh, unnerving vitality into the apocalyptic horror subgenre. Dropping readers directly into an escalating nationwide nightmare via visceral emergency alerts and immediate chaos, the narrative avoids familiar, formulaic survival tropes in favor of deep psychological weight and tactile dread.

Told with sharp emotional depth, the story stands out through its compelling dual-perspective structure—tracking both the grit required to survive an unraveling world and the tragic, internal horror of watching one's own humanity slip away. Buckel balances visceral, high-stakes tension with quiet character study, crafting a grounded and deeply unsettling journey through grief, survival, and what it truly costs to endure the end of the world.

[Lizzie Hampton]

The Silence by Kristi Buckel is a gripping, character-driven survival horror that brings fresh psychological depth to the post-apocalyptic genre.

Kicking off with the sudden panic of a nationwide emergency broadcast, the novel follows protagonists Kiera and Sean through a dynamic dual-POV as societal order collapses into chaos. Rather than relying strictly on familiar tropes, Buckel elevates the narrative by diving deep into the emotional toll of trauma, survival, and the fragile line between human and monster.

Tense, atmospheric, and emotionally resonant, it is a standout read for fans of visceral, character-focused thrillers.

[Briana Luna]

The Silence by Kristi Buckel is an intense, atmospheric post-apocalyptic thriller that delivers a uniquely character-driven take on the zombie genre. Kicking off with the sudden terror of a nationwide emergency alert, the narrative plunges readers straight into chaos before settling into a gripping, dual-POV exploration of survival, trauma, and identity. By blurring the line between monster and humanity—offering an intimate, chilling look at the infection from the inside out—Buckel balances visceral horror with emotional depth. Tense, gritty, and refreshingly original, it is a must-read for fans of psychological survival horror and unconventional undead fiction.

[PutridPuppy SRJacobson]

At first I was really into this book. Zombie apocalypse story and I am on board. Unfortunately, it started to drone on and I was loosing interest. The end was good in regard to reflecting on the trauma the main characters experienced and how it changes the individual.
I couldn’t get over the writing when mentioning Sean’s arms when clearly he had one, not plural. And to me that was a significant point in the book for him to loose an arm. But that is just my pet peeve.

Rating for my Book Chub: 4/10 chubs

Does the dog(animal) die rating: no animal harm

[Cecelia Howe]

The Silence by Kristi Buckel is a haunting, finely tuned exploration of grief, tension, and the unspoken fractures that run beneath the surface of everyday life. Buckel writes with a restrained, atmospheric precision, letting the weight of what remains unsaid build into an almost physical pressure. With sharp emotional insight and a lingering sense of unease, it is a compelling, quiet powerhouse of a narrative that stays with the reader long after the final page.

[Modern bookshelf]

This was a solid and intense read. The emergency alert format at the beginning really set the mood and gave it a realistic edge. I liked how the story didn’t waste time pulling you into the chaos it felt raw and immediate. The writing was tight, and the tension stayed strong throughout. Not your average zombie book, and definitely worth the read. Well done.

[Danielle Muething]

This was a fun take on the zombie apocalypse. I liked reading the story from Sean’s POV as he slowly becomes a zombie. And even though I want to know what happens next, I was happy with how it ended.

[Scotliteboost]

Terrifyingly real and impossible to put down. This book drops you straight into a national nightmare, blending suspense, chaos, and fear in the best way. A fresh take on zombie horror that feels chillingly believable. A must-read for fans of fast-paced, gritty thrillers.

[Joshua Bader]

Zombie horror at its best. Kiera offers a compelling journey through the apocalypse. But Sean is where the action is at. Through his eyes we get to see the descent into zombie-ism and the struggle between the human trapped in a shell increasingly not his own.

[Debbie Hughes]

While the pacing occasionally slows during routine survival moments , The Silence remains a gripping, emotionally resonant read for fans of psychological post-apocalyptic fiction.