Silence of the Missing

By: Rick R. Reed

Narrated by: David Allen Vargo

Length: 6 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's summary

He went into the woods…and never came out.

In 1986, thirteen-year-old Jeb Kleber vanished during his small town’s Fourth of July fireworks. His mysterious disappearance left his first love, Sammy Blake, grieving for years.

Flash forward to present day. A now middle-aged Sam Blake has a comfortable and predictable life with his husband Marc in Chicago. All that changes when a stranger arrives at Sam’s door, claiming to be the missing Jeb Kleber. The stranger knows things he couldn’t possibly know—including the hidden love the boys shared during the summer of ’86. He also wears an amethyst pendant Sam gave him shortly before he disappeared.

Could this be the real Jeb Kleber, missing for thirty-seven years? If not, who is this mysterious stranger? And what does he want after all this time? His appearance plunges Sam’s life into a nightmare of questionable identity, long-buried secrets, and perhaps even murder.

©2023 Rick R. Reed (P)2024 Rick R. Reed

Great read!

Wow this new book by Rick Reed is fantastic!
So many twists and turns, and so unexpected! It went in a very different direction from what I was expecting! The book is much more a thriller than romance, and I loved every breath-taking moment of it. I loved the many different POVs giving away the overall plot step by step.

I adored David Allen Vargo’s performance, truly outstanding!

Hand-wringing suspense

I experienced this story fully via audiobook with an occasional follow on the e-book.
A surprisingly suspenseful story that begins innocently and turns to a darker side much faster than I had anticipated. I enjoyed the author's flow of the story, and the audio recording followed the characters and their definitions well. I had no trouble discerning the characters who were speaking, despite there only being one audiobook narrator.
I enjoyed the jumps in time from 1986 to the present, and I enjoyed having most of the character's perspectives. It's not often you're given the perspective from a character's mother or husband.
The story's unfortunate conclusion and the answers about Jeb's reappearance tie up practically all loose ends that I can think of.
I would recommend this story to those who enjoy suspense with a tragic twist. This is no summer romance, despite how it seems the story begins with Jeb & Sam's time together.

Amazing story

This was an amazing story from the initial disappearance of the young boy Jeb and the devastating effects it has on everyone, especially the other young boy who loves him, Sam. Sam grieves, but as one does after a time, one gets on with life and for Sam, that means marriage to Marc and life as an adult. Then, suddenly there is a man on his doorstep, claiming to be Jeb and knowing things seemingly only Jeb could know and with identifying objects only Jeb should have. The blurb made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up and the book itself was even better than the blurb promised. I found this one by turns, sad, creepy, scary and thought provoking. We always assume that if a missing person came back, everything would be an unmitigated joy for that person and all who know them. This book asks, what if we aren't quite sure the returnee is who they claim to be? And what about the lives all those other people have gone on and built? Just went back to this book again on audio and I have to say it was even better the second time. This is one where you notice things on a reread you missed the first time because then you just had to keep reading to find out what happened. Given time for a slow read you appreciate the author's craft even more. David Allen Vargo does a superb job narrating this story and drawing you into the characters thoughts and lives.

When Romance turns deadly

Sam Blake and Jeb Kleber were young kids in 1986, and they became fast friends when Jeb Kleber suddenly vanished. Now, Sam’s husband is missing and a stranger calling himself Jeb is knocking on his door!

Rick R. Reed, the author, weaves a mystery-laden narrative that touches on different types of loss, the effects, and a plot twist that leaves the listener in shock! The dialogue effectively communicates the sense of loss, grief, and passion. The characters are well-developed and fit nicely into the narrative flawlessly. Reed puts into words the sense of loss, grief, and missed opportunities in vivid detail. It was so authentic that I felt connected to the narrative and characters.

The narrator, David Allen Vargo, slips into each character, skillfully conveying a wide range of emotions with precision and depth. Vargo speaks each word intentionally, pausing deliberately for impact. His cadence keeps the narrative flowing smoothly and forward.

This is an exceptional audiobook further elevated by the immensely talented David Allen Vargo. A must-have audiobook!

There were no issues with the quality or production of this audiobook.

Impressive Story & Narration🎧 Thought-Provoking!

“Silence of the Missing” is a fantastic psychological crime thriller, and Rick R. Reed pulls you right in, not only grabbing your attention but keeps you thinking and needing to know what happens next, making it impossible to put the book down. It is a well-written and plotted story and I enjoyed how the timelines were presented, alternating from the present to the past, giving you a glimpse of what happened in the character’s point of view. Sammy Blake’s friend and his first love interest, Jeb Kleber, disappeared in 1986, and was never to be found. Sammy was thirteen-years-old then, but he never got over that loss or the grief from it. Sammy is Sam, a now middle-aged man married to Marc, in what he thought was a solid marriage. One day a stranger rings his bell and claims to be Jeb, has his eyes and even the pendent he gave him. Sam wonders if it is possible and gives the guy a chance to explain, everything he says sounds plausible, but he is still skeptical, especially after he disappears before they finish talking. Then his life gets turned around once again, and everything he thought he knew was not as it seemed. Reed’s descriptive details keep you alongside Sam, experiencing everything he does, including all his emotions, you can to help but feel for the man. It is best to go into the book knowing as little as possible, go in with an open mind and enjoy the ride. The drama is non-stop in this fast moving, thought-provoking story, an emotional rollercoaster ride with lots of twists and turns.

🎧📚🎧  David Allen Vargo delivers another outstanding performance bringing the characters and story to life. He is a versatile voice artist who performs a plethora of different voices, which is great since he covers the roles of all the characters, giving each their own distinct voice, making it easy to follow along and tell who is who. You could hear how much heart he puts into his performance as he captures all the characters’ emotions making you feel every one. This entertaining storyteller is a pleasure to listen to and his performance elevates the story to another level.

Extraordinary event and ordinary people

This is the Before, During, and After story of the lives of ordinary people changed by an extraordinary event. The narrative is wonderful and engaging. He has a beautiful voice. The narrator brought distinction to each character and his vocal talent kept me interested in the story. The story is grounded and sober, using the phenomenon of child disappearance to highlight the effect on everyone who experiences it. The story does not get directly in to the "why" it happens, but provides the mechanics of "how" it can happen. Like life, the characters don't get all the answers, but they do have to go on with the business of living.

Twisty and Eerie Suspense

This was so memorable. I absolutely loved the book and the audio version did not disappoint either. Sam’s story is filled with loss and grief and the narrator does a good job getting the tone right. This is a compelling listen because Sam’s story has so many twists and turns. This author is so good a creating an eerie atmosphere where you don’t know what is real or who to trust. But what I loved most is all the different looks at love, the unending love between parent and child, a fleeting first love that never had a chance, a once strong love slowly dying. Without spoiling, I loved that we leave Sam in a hopeful place which is kind of a miracle. This one is amazing.

Very Disturbing

I am angry with you, Mr. Reed. To have so much distraught for Sammy who only wanted to love and be loved. You gave him all that misery and heartache. My heart broke for Sammy repeatedly. This story was compelling and emotional. The two fold plot lines became intertwined revealing the shocking conclusion. This was well written, delivered brilliantly by the uber talents of David Allen Vargo's narration.

Rollercoaster tide of emotions!

Holy Moly!!! This was a rollercoaster ride of emotions. Sam has went through a world of hurt and it all came around full force. There were many unexpected turns and the author kept me guessing. The storyline is well thought out and the character’s personalities are varied and believable. Thrilling.

Unexpected and Wonderful!

This story was like a maze. The author would lead us in one direction only to bring us to a different path where we have to shift gears and follow him around plot twists and turns into yet another direction. It all comes together in the end, but getting there is the challenge as we take the journey alongside our hero, Sammy Blake. Rick R. Reed gives us another meticulous look into the mind of his protagonist. We walk in his shoes, dream his dreams, and feel the intense fear and heartbreak as he sojourns through a very dark forest of intrigues, subterfuges, and schemes. It is only at the end of the book that we can fully comprehend the meaning of the title. Once again, David Allen Vargo thrills with his impeccable narration, using his vocal dexterity to voice all of the characters believably with the most sincere and heartfelt emotion. Reed and Vargo are master storytellers. Their styles compliment each other beautifully. I highly recommend this book.