Dead Silence by S. A. Barnes

If Aliens meets Titanic sounds like your kind of book, then you are in for a treat with Dead Silence by S. A. Barnes. Claire Kovalik is the sole survivor of a previous disaster on the Mars colony and was essentially raised by the Verux corporation for whom she now works. She is captaining a ship on the outer edges of the system on what is to be their final job before they are made redundant by automation. Just before heading back for their final rendezvous, they pick up a distress call. The call is from the Aurora, a luxury spaceliner that disappeared 20 years ago on its first flight.

The salvage value of this opulent craft and her famous passengers would be rich enough so that each of the small crew could live out their dreams. Once they find the craft they are surprised to discover that there doesn’t appear to be any obvious damage to it. Upon boarding, they discover that many of the passengers appear to have died violently. Making their way through the ship they begin to experience sounds and visions that are difficult to explain. Are there ghosts? Or aliens? Or are they simply going mad? And could it be that the Verux corporation hoped the ship would never be found?

Dead Silence is a great blend of science fiction and horror. Each character is distinctive and brings different attributes and weaknesses to the job. Barnes does an excellent job of creating mood and mystery. Claire is a complicated and sympathetic character that is honest about her own flaws and self-doubts. Even if you figure out what is going on before it is revealed, the entertainment of the journey is not diminished. Atmosphere is everything in a book like this and Barnes nails it. Dead Silence is a ghost story that will make you feel the cold of space and glance over your shoulder at every sound. This book is well-paced and filled with tension. Looking forward to seeing what’s next from Barnes!

I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher.