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Cover of The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas HarrisThe Silence of the Lambs
Classic · Fiction, Thriller

The Silence of the Lambs

by Thomas Harris
1988 · 421 pages · Fiction
78.4Must-Read
Score Classic
Critics' pick
≈ 11 hours to read · about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

FBI trainee Clarice Starling is sent to interview Dr. Hannibal Lecter, a brilliant psychiatrist and imprisoned cannibalistic serial killer, hoping he can help catch another killer. Thomas Harris's 1988 psychological thriller is the sequel to Red Dragon.

Why it's worth reading

It won the Anthony Award. It's one of the most famous thrillers ever written, and the basis of the Oscar-winning film.

You'll love it if you liked

Cover of Red Dragon by Thomas HarrisRed Dragon
Red DragonThomas Harris
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HannibalThomas Harris
Cover of Mystic River by Dennis LehaneMystic River
Mystic RiverDennis Lehane

Good to know

It's dark and violent. You don't need to read Red Dragon first.

By the numbers

78.4Must-Read Score
  • Readers88 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics43 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Bestseller33 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

Won
Anthony Award winner (1989)

Reads as

Gripping

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

More by Thomas Harris

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HannibalThomas Harris

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Explore the best-of lists

All 36 best-of lists →
Mysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 623 rankedClassic booksTop 25 · 924 rankedBooks of the 1980sTop 25 · 229 rankedFantasy booksTop 25 · 504 rankedLiterary novelsTop 25 · 325 rankedMemoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 rankedScience fiction booksTop 25 · 333 rankedRomancesTop 25 · 246 ranked

Quick answers

Is The Silence of the Lambs worth reading?

Yes. It won the Anthony Award. It ranks #537 of the 3,057 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 78.4 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is The Silence of the Lambs about?

FBI trainee Clarice Starling is sent to interview Dr. Hannibal Lecter, a brilliant psychiatrist and imprisoned cannibalistic serial killer, hoping he can help catch another killer. Thomas Harris's 1988 psychological thriller is the sequel to Red Dragon.

How long does it take to read The Silence of the Lambs?

About 11 hours (421 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What awards has The Silence of the Lambs won?

Anthony Award winner (1989).

What should I read after The Silence of the Lambs?

If you liked it, try Red Dragon by Thomas Harris, Hannibal by Thomas Harris or Mystic River by Dennis Lehane.