Silence In The Basement is a trip to read. I've yet to come across a book that's vividly brutal in its depiction of violence, torture and human experimentation. I'd advise caution reading this book for anyone squeamish.

The story starts off a little slower establishing Hank's character. Hank Griffin, is a lonely long haul truck driver that spends a lot of time alone with his thoughts. Hank spends more time in his truck than he does at home. He's hoping to get one last haul done and take a much needed break.

Hank is travelling along Highway 50 when he learns about a series of disappearances. Despite there being no leads on the case, the police are actively investigating. Hank, exhausted from his driving decides to spend the night at a rundown motel. His decision takes a turn for the worse when he is beaten unconscious and ends up being held captive in a dingy basement. He's not alone.

This story explores Hank's willpower and his survival instincts. This book explores the darkness and depravity of humanity as a whole and the things people justify doing for a cause no matter how twisted. The author's vivid descriptions enhanced the fear Hank feels and the horror he is going through when trapped in the basement. You can feel Hank's fear, hopelessness and desperation to escape.

I'd like to thank Netgalley and Hanabi Press for access to this book. This book captivated me and I was able to read it in a day. When I wasn't reading the book I was thinking about how it would unfold. It gave me Psycho x Texas Chainsaw Massacre vibes.

Overall this was an engaging and disturbing read that horror fans would appreciate. It was a survival horror and it's psychological and physical torture of the main character made it stand out to other Horror books I've read so far in my Horror journey.

I really enjoyed this book. It's definitely different from anything I have read before and at times I just had to keep reading to find out what happened next! One question I need to know...what happened to Sara?!

This was a wild ride, it’s definitely a page turner for sure with a very dark and twisted story that I think definitely gets more dark as the story progresses.

Hank is a trucker, he has no family and no real want to interact with people. While on one of his trips, he stops at a motel to get some decent sleep in a bed. There he meets a stranger who likes to talk. Until something goes wrong and Hank becomes the new victim of the killer who has been abducting people all along the highway. But he isn't alone, and Hank and Sara will have to get to know one another well if they are going to survive this captivity at a psychopath's whims.

This was a wonderfully twisted book, a great horror that makes you wonder what you would do in the situations that Hank and Sara are put in. One to pick up and read!

I couldn't quite put my finger on it but for some unknown reason, I did not enjoy this book. And the weird part is, I did like the first few chapters, I mean, Hank is a very likeable character.

The premise is interesting and I was really looking forward to how the author could twist this narrative into something incredibly disturbing and gross but I gradually lose interest. Also, I can't accept the fact that the author tainted the innocent relationship of Hank and Sara which I am not going to divulge in this review. I'm sure some of you will agree with me on this part.

Well, other readers will totally dig this. Especially the detailed explanation of the human body, I guess. But, for me, I'll try not to think about the bad parts.

Thanks Netgalley and Hanabi Press for the ARC!

Look at that cover!!! This book was very well written and kept me captivated the entire time. The story was fun to read and the characters were easy to like! Highly recommend!

WOW! Bravo to this author on his debut novel! I couldn’t stop reading once I started. Dark, twisted horror just the way I like it! Absolutely fantastic read and I’m looking forward to more from this author!

Wow, what a wild ride! Even though it was a tad slow overall, I loved the plot twists and characters. It’s hard to pull off a story that takes place in one setting, but this was about as good as it could get. It reminded me of a mixture of Room and Hostel with a dark twist. Would definitely recommend to any horror fan!

There is a lot I want to say about this book, but a lot of it would be a spoiler. For it being the first book written by this author, it was pretty decent. The story was engaging, and I really wanted to keep reading to see what happened. It is fairly gory at times, which doesn't bother me. The writing style initially threw me off a little. A lot of short, abrupt sentences, which I feel like works well in more tense scenes, but not so much when describing the character and the actions he's taking. It did get better, though, or maybe I just got more used to it. I will say that I really liked the hallucination scene (hopefully that's not too big of a spoiler), and I thought it was written really well.

This book really lost me in the end, though, unfortunately. It got pretty cliche, especially with the book thing, and Hank's choices in the end just didn't make sense from what we know about him. But my biggest complaint is with one scene with Hank and Sara, because of how much he compared her to his daughter up to that point, and went back to comparing her to his daughter not long after the scene. It was just weird and unnecessary.

This book was amazing. The storyline pulled me in and it was hard to put down. The ending felt slightly rushed to me though. It made for a good twist of the storyline, and one that wasn't expected. It kind of leaves you to wonder what happened to the main character after the whole ordeal that he endured. Did he continue in Mal's footsteps or did he make it out? It would be very interesting to see if there could be a possible part 2 to this story. There were a few errors and typos in this book, but nothing that hindered the message that the author was trying to convey. Overall, this was a great read and one that did not disappoint.

This was a bit of a wild ride and more gory, more toward splatterpunk than I was expecting. The descriptions sometimes made me a little queasy but if you like gore, this is for you! The sex scene was out of place and felt weird in the book.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #HanabiPress for sending this book for review consideration through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Hank has always been a loner, with no family to go home to after a hard day’s work. He always prefers solitude, but the one time he decided to let himself a little loose and have a conversation with a seemingly jovial next-door neighbor of the motel he was staying at ended up being a nightmare.

A quick read that took me less than a day to finish, this book, on all counts, is maddeningly terrifying. I had not read a novel about cannibalism before, and if I were asked if I would consider reading one, I would have said no. I can handle horror any day, but splatterpunk is something I could never stomach—utter revulsion would have manifested.

So why this book? My search for a non-disappointing horror book led me to pick this one up—diving blindly into it—unknowingly plummeting myself into a metaphorical abyss. “Silence in the Basement” exposed my vulnerability in all aspects of morality and ethics. Setting aside my abhorrence and squeamishness, I braced myself to finish the book by sheer force of will. I knew I had to find out how it ends—waiting for a satisfying comeuppance to show its hand. I love how it ended, though an epilogue would have been greatly appreciated.

Frighteningly gruesome yet one that reveals the sickening truth about how a sector of people justifies their actions as an act of devotion to either life or religion. As revolting as it is, it allows its readers to reflect on the nature of humanity and existence. It could also make a reader set aside their judgment and look into the motivations of a serial killer whose mission is to purge the world of sinners. “Silence in the Basement” is not for everyone. It is for brave souls who have the stomach for extreme horror. But it can also break the fear against this particular genre if only to dissect the psychology of human behavior.

Alex Mura has delivered a gripping horror filled debut book. As a young writer, he has a staggering grip on what his intended audience would want to read. His writing makes for a quick and easy read, so you can stay up all night to finish it.
His protagonist, Mal, is a charming guy, but deep down you may not forget him quickly due to his spiritual ritualistic ideology. Normal people cannot begin to comprehend his atrocities. Sara and Hank are unfortunate victims of his sick mind and to stay in Mal’s good graces they must play along with his vile game. But, is it really a game? Mal is cunning and manipulates his two victims to engage in unimaginable crimes. Mura’s book is not for the faint of heart, but if you like a really good, morbid novel that will give you the heebie-jeebies, this is the book for you.
I’m hoping there will be a 2nd book as we are left with some unanswered questions. What happened to Hank and Sara. What the heck happened to Hanks wife and Olive, his daughter‽ Is Hank really as demented as Mal? Alex, I want answers.

2.5 (this review has SPOILERS)

I typically enjoy stories with cannibalistic themes, as hannibal is my favorite tv show, also the premise of this book featuring kidnapping, a single setting, and an enclosed space with a psychopath, had all the markings of a story I would love. Initially, I thought it would receive a much higher rating than I'm giving it now. However, I just couldn't look past the chapter in which a 54yo man has sex with a 18yo girl who he previously described as reminding him of his daughter.. It was in such poor taste and felt thrown in completely out of nowhere with nothing alluding to it before, especially considering they had just cut and eaten a human while fighting for their lives in the previous chapter, and suddenly they're horny, like give me a break.. Additionally, a comment about being 18 and embarrassed to still be a virgin kinda rubbed me the wrong way. The ending was abrupt and somewhat predictable, but the beginning of the story successfully built a scene of dread, and some descriptions of gore were particularly effective. However, as the story progressed, it became increasingly annoying to hear the main character's thoughts about wanting to kill and attack the antagonist every two sentences, especially after initially being introduces as non violent, which didn't really align with his character. Despite these issues, the villain was well crafted and portrayed in parts, which I appreciate as I absolutely enjoy reading about deranged characters. That aspect was a highlight for me for sure. It also read super fast and writing was easy to follow.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars!
This was a wild ride, it’s definitely a page turner for sure with a very dark and twisted story that I think definitely gets more dark as the story progresses. I really liked how the story takes place 90% in the basement as it really adds to the feel and sets the mood!
This has a good level or gore and horror for me and can be quite detailed in some scenes but not too in your face!
A few tiny spoilers below!!
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I think this would’ve been a 5 star for me, my only thing I would’ve loved to hear a POV from Sara after it all. Where did she go?
I would’ve loved an epilogue - did Hank survive? Did the police come? What happened next? It definitely needed 1 more chapter just to pull it all together but overall a great read and really enjoyable!

This is a super creepy, incredibly gory psychological mindbender.

Though not my typical choice of genre, I found the writing to be well done and had no trouble following the story. I can see how fans of horror and descriptive gore will enjoy this book.

This was a solid three star read for me until the sex scene which I found to be unnecessary, weird and ultimately gross considering the previous interaction of the characters.

I received the free ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 ⭐

Now what in the world was that 🙃 I don't know if I should be worried that I liked it or excited that I found a great book to read 😂

While most of the stuff that happened was very predictable, I really enjoyed how fast paced this book was and how well written it was.

Some parts made my stomach queasy so would definitely say, don't read it if you don't like strong stuff 🫡

I was a little let down by the ending cause:
1. It was unfortunately predictable what was gonna happen
and
2. I still have questions about what happens after the ending 😩

But I would definitely recommend the book to people who like their horror with a hint of cannibalism and crazy mixed in 😌

(I received an ARC for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily 🥰)

This was definitely an interesting read!! It was very quick which was good. But also very disturbing. If you have a weak stomach I don’t suggest reading this. I had points where I felt sick! The author does a good job of explaining details that you can really picture it.
A trucker who had lost his wife and daughter gets caught in a disturbing situation locked in a basement with a young girl fighting for their lives. The police ending is very abrupt tho. So be warned. If you want a graphic lock in a room horror story this is definitely a book for you.

What did I just read? I’m really not sure, quite frankly. I’ve been reading horror for over thirty years and this was definitely a new level of gore. SPOILER: It’s not “fun” gore either, we’re literally talking about how to butcher human bodies.

I found the beginning of the story to be reasonably enjoyable and believable, but the twist just really didn’t work for me with the small amount of info we got. You almost wonder if the twist is even true because I don’t find the villain to be the most reliable guy. It does not boost the crimes into a justifiable realm anyway.

There seems to be a big focus on morality in this story, but little of it to be found.

Captivating from the beginning! I literally had to force myself to stop reading in order to resume living in the real world. Definite eye opener! I'm excited to see what's next from this author!