This fictionalized version of the shark attacks that inspired Jaws intrigued me. I'd half-watched some of the Shark Week documentaries years ago so I knew a little bit about the history, but was curious to read more. The descriptions of the attacks and the attempts to save the victims were gripping. The main characters musings about a current polio outbreak and the American public's repsonse to it and to the warnings about the shark dragged on and on and on and had me wishing I'd read a non-fiction account written several years earlier.

The narrative unfolds with a slow and deliberate pace, building an atmosphere of suspense that permeates the entire story. The author masterfully plays with the fear of the unseen, creating an unsettling tension that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. The plot is intricately woven, revealing the layers of mystery surrounding the titular monster in a way that is both intriguing and unnerving. Overall, this book is a well-crafted and atmospheric horror novel that excels in creating an eerie, psychological experience. With its carefully developed characters and a suspenseful narrative, it offers a nuanced exploration of fear and the unknown. If you're a fan of horror that relies on psychological unease rather than explicit gore, this book is sure to deliver a spine-tingling and thought-provoking read. 3.5 rounded up!

I had to DNF this book! I was at 40% and I just couldn’t power through it anymore. It just wasn’t for me at all

I really enjoyed this novel based on the shark attacks in the Jersey shore in 1916. Hearth did great research and made me feel like the characters were really part of the events. I can’t imagine knowing there was an evil out there but not able to convince the powers to be to listen to save others.

This historical thriller novel was a sobering look at the unpredictability of the ocean & its inhabitants, as well as a hopeful message about the resilience of the human spirit.

The summer of 1916 saw a great many people flock to the beaches in an attempt to forget about the troubling events of the time (impending war, the influenza & polio epidemics) with a fun-filled day in the sun. For many beach-goers the experience turned traumatic (& for a few, fatal) when an unknown entity emerged from the ocean to violently mangle swimmers.

The author does a fantastic job of immersing you in the atmosphere of the times: there was panic & misinformation, conspiracy theories about who or what was responsible for the attacks, & disbelief by the general public & various political leaders that it could be a shark (up until that point, sharks were believed to be timid). The frustration that one of our main characters (Dr. Halsey) feels is palpable as he does his best to warn people to stay out of the water.

This book had its share of heartbreak but I really enjoyed the close-up look at a defining moment in our nation’s history & how people came together in a time of tragedy, & I love that the author is a Jersey Shore local.

Thank you to NetGalley & Blackstone for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I think all the reviews and the plot summary set me up for failure here. They promised a thrilling and exciting journey when what I got was a quaint historic account. Sure, there were some dramatic moments but it really was not the riveting high-octane page turner I was expecting. That being said, it was cool to read a story about a community gripped with fear that took place a long time ago but we could still relate to now. I liked reading about how the technology of the time limited what could be done about the situation, and this piece was definitely thought-provoking.

An entertaining, semi-fictionalized account of the 1916 Jersey Shore shark attacks.

If you’ve read Close to Shore or know the history of this, you already know where this book is going, as it’s pretty faithful to the sequence and locations of the events. It’s not a particularly action-oriented book regardless, and is more focused on reactions to the attacks and cultural beliefs about sharks and the ocean than it is on the Jaws-style man vs shark thriller stuff.

The writing is a bit clunky (particularly in the dialogue) for historical fiction, and there were a lot of missed opportunities here to bring the shore in this era to life, but the historical content is good and if you are fascinated by this string of attacks like I am, it’s a fun perspective on what might have happened.

The doctor’s role in all of this stretches the bounds of credulity (he happens to be in the boat when the shark is finally bagged nowhere near previous attacks or his own home? Nah). But the concept behind the character was certainly a good idea for tying the attacks together through a single perspective.

3.5 stars,rounded up for narrative flow and entertainment value.

It's July 1916, a time when little is known about ocean creatures, and swimming in the sea is a relatively new pastime. Americans up and down the East Coast are shocked and mystified by the swimmer's death. Little do they know that this is only the beginning.

Silent Came the Monster outlines the events of the 1916 shark attacks on the East Coast with the fictionalized narratives. This unique storytelling method offered both a thriller intensity & a more human look at how those events impacted the daily lives of those along the Jersey shore. I enjoyed this style of writing & will definitely look for other books with similar style in the future.

While the story occasionally dragged, the intensity of wondering if & when the "sea monster" would attack again kept me on the edge of my seat. The author did an excellent job portraying just how little was known or understood about sharks & other sea creatures at the time of the attacks. I also commiserated with Dr. Halsey's frustration with the general public's lack of understanding about the ongoing situation. As a healthcare worker post-COVID-19, there were many parallels to be drawn.

Overall Silent Came the Monster was an interesting take on historical events. 4 stars.

Thank you to the author, the publisher & Netgalley for the ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a historical fiction novel based on the real shark attacks in 1916 New Jersey, which I knew about. I feel it was well researched. The author captured the disbelief of the people who just didn’t believe a shark was responsible for the attacks. Not much was known about sharks then. There were conspiracy theories that the German U-boats brought a sea monster to them. We follow Dr. Edwin Halsey who examined the bodies of the four attack victims and knew right away it was a shark. No one believed him. America was also dealing with a polio epidemic in a time when people were fleeing to the shore to get away from the big cities where there were a lot of polio cases. I really enjoyed this book that inspired Jaws.

I enjoyed this book. It was clear that significant research was done. The writing style felt very juvenile and a little too cheesy and immature for the content though. The cover art is great. I enjoyed the descriptive attacks that added a level of horror to this book that needed it.

I loved this one and felt it was timely since they just had an attack yesterday in same area but it was a well crafted story about how scary this would have been in a world that didn’t have social media or 24 hour news . They are majestic beasts .
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this booklet

The true events of a shark attack in 1916 on the Jersey Shore are presented excellently in this historical fiction novel. Without the knowledge of sharks and their habits, the inhabitants and officials of New Jersey were panicked and baffled at the behavior of this huge shark. Well written and recommended.

This is a REALLY good summer historical fiction thriller-y read. It’s primarily about the New Jersey shark attacks of 1916 which is reminiscent of Jaws, but it also touches on other things that were happening that summer like an early polio epidemic and the lead up to the US involvement in WW1. I’m not sure if I’ve ever read this particular hybrid of genres and it’s fun. Recommended for any historical fiction fan, especially one who doesn’t mind a slow burn thriller mixed in. Just maybe don’t read it at the beach!

Something was terrorizing the coast and inter waters of New Jersey in the summer of 1916. It was a predatory shark. Based on actual events, Hearth captures fictionalized account of the doctors, community, and victims.
After the first attack, the scene with the mayor was almost like Jaws.
I also laughed at people insisting the attacks were done by a big sea turtle.
I’ve been interested (and terrified) of sharks since watching Jaws over 45 years ago.
It was also interesting to read about people’s reactions in a less informative era.

Pretty good book about sharks. Would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys the nature of sharks. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunities to read this book for a honest review

Honestly, I really did not enjoy this book. I appreciate and recognize the extensive research Hearth put into this, a fictionalized version of the 1916 Jersey Shore shark attacks. You can tell this was a story she wanted to tell and felt very connected to. She used the actual five victims, locations of attacks, and historical context of the time to craft a narrative using fictional characters that resemble people that were actually involved.

My main issue was with the writing itself. It almost read as middle grade? I actually think I’ve read stronger middle grade writing. It was just really elementary. There was way too much unnecessary character back story. The dialogue was annoying and felt unnatural, particularly the exchanges between Edwin and his daughter, Julia. I’m really disappointed because this actually is a historical event I’m very interested in. I mean, it inspired Jaws! Other people might enjoy this but overall it wasn’t for me and not one I would rush to recommend.

3.5
Have you heard about the shark attacks of 1916 along the Jersey shore? I knew of them but no details so I was all in for this historical fiction book!

How many people got nibbled? How many people got a chunck bitten off? How many people died? How'd they die? Where were they? Did you know some were even attacked in fresh water in a river!! Yes, the hysteria was real!

In creating a fictionalized story about a true account the author took liberties in the characters that were near the shark attacks. I personally never felt connected to the characters throughout the story. I felt a bit of whip lash between the speed of the ever engaging shark attacks (plural yes!) and then the slow character development. I kinda wanted more sharky content, draw out that JAWS music as the shark is approaching ya know?

All in all, the story was easy and a quick read. I loved learning the details and feeling a sense of fear and mayhem that a shark or two caused. But, let's be honest, the sharks themselves were aggressively hunted by us humans during this time and many more were killed than any humans by sharks themselves!

Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the advance e-copy of this book.

My appreciation to Net Galley and Blackstone Publishing for an advanced copy of this e-book. Pub Day 5/16/23

This books begins with a Prologue and first chapter that had me immediately envisioning scenes from the movie Jaws. It backs up a bit to give the reader insights into the major characters in this book based on the true events and people of the 1916 Jersey shore shark attacks. This was in a time when very few people had ever seen or even heard about sharks. They deemed this attacks as having been done by sea turtles, giant fish, a sea monster or a sea wolf (whatever that might be!). It also took place when Germany had their new submarines patrolling our country's shores sending a lot of conspiracy theories that these attacks were by the Germans. This was also a time when there were many children suffering from "infantile paralysis", which we now know as polio. Many families were fleeing the big cities to get away from this disease and try to cool off by the shore. The story was so interesting to me, first as I had never heard this part of history before, and second because we see how we learn about something new with a lot of crazy speculations (thinking about the recent Covid pandemic). This was a pretty fast read and one I recommend AFTER your trip to the beach this summer!

Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the advanced ecopy of this book. Publish date 5/16/2023.

Amy Hill Hearth tells the story of the shark attacks off the Jersey Shore in the summer of 1916. From the first few sentences of the Prologue, you are drawn into a "Jaws" like story that is based on actual events. The story progresses chronologically and coincides with many trying to escape to the seaside from cities who were plagued with the "infantile paralysis" (later called Polio) epidemic. Dr. Edwin Halsey, a local doctor who was called to treat the first victim in Beach Haven, finds himself becoming both an expert in shark bites and an advocate for closing the beaches until the "sea creature" is no longer a threat. No one can agree on what the creature actually was. Everything from sea turtles to mackerels to German U Boats were blamed as sharks had previously not been seen in this area, so without a consensus, it was hard to determine a course of action. Also, the towns do not want to chance losing tourism dollars during one of the busiest times of the year. Hearth introduces us to the other victims and communities that were impacted by the various attacks.

The sign of a good historical fiction novel to me is when you are so invested in the story and in the characters that you run to your computer to learn more. Silent Came the Monster DEFINITELY checks that box for me. It was a quick and intriguing read that I highly recommend!

Interesting area of study that I knew nothing about previously. Ominous tone throughout as you discover the mystery of the sea monster along with the local town.
Clean content. Would recommend.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the chance to review this book before its publication date!