“Author Barb Lanell has crafted a truly chilling work of fiction with plenty of deep and complex psychological plotlines to offer its readers. One of the features which I found particularly impressive about this piece was the keen eye for the subtleties of mental illness and how that played into the psychological element of the plot as it unraveled. The atmosphere chilled me to the bone with its overtones of Southern Gothic styling, painting a bleak and tense portrait of Cass’s world as her past comes back to haunt her and her present-day pressures increase. When combined with the author’s attention to detail in close narration and the presentation of Cass’s speech and emotions, this makes for an intense and satisfying psychological journey that will have you gripped from cover to cover. Overall, I would highly recommend They Fly Silent to fans of emotive drama, accurately penned psychological exploration, and for suspense enthusiasts everywhere.”
— K.C. Finn for Reader’s Favorite (5-Star Seal)

“With a sinister and frightening plot and engaging characters, the book is mesmerizing and impossible to put down once you start reading it; I stayed up all night to finish it. This novel had me crying, holding my breath, and finally feeling jubilant as Cass comes to terms with her past and present. Impactful and profound, it is a poignant and enlightening story of how a woman overcomes the darkness residing in her mind. Carrying the empowering message that living a happy life is not only a dream, but is possible, the story is a sensational psychological thriller that is paradoxically chilling, yet inspiring. Containing some violence, strong language, and sexual references, the story is more suitable for a mature reader.”
— Susan Sewell for Reader’s Favorite (5-Star Seal)

“In this deep story of a woman struggling to understand her past and overcome personal demons, there is beauty, life, and love. I was swept away by Barb Lanell’s style of writing. She brought me to tears. Emotionally, I was spent just as Cass was spent after battling her countless issues. They Fly Silent taught me about 'making lovely your losses' and remembering your inner child. A lot of us forget the dreams and hopes we had because the world wanted something different from us. The innocence we may have had disappeared. So much of what we do or what happens to us as children reflects in our adulthood. Lanell shines a light on that and gets readers thinking. Let's not forget who we were for who we are now.”
— Hayley Haun for Reader’s Favorite (5-Star Seal)