Praise for Quietus
“Quietus is a great gothic raven perched somewhere between Anne Rice and Iris Murdoch. It’s a spooky, sweeping book of death, dreams and psychosexual intrigue. Schilling herself–in her deft melding of mythic animus and modern anxiety–seems like the bastard daughter of Carl Jung and Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley. Quietus should come with a guarantee: Will keep you up at night (either turning pages or jumping at shadows…probably both) or your money back. I loved it.” —James Ireland Baker, Time Out New York
“Award winning author Vivian Schilling’s novel Quietus is a bold and terrifying tale of suspense as survivors of a deadly crash awaken in a hospital with untrustworthy memories and uncertain futures…A tense, involving, complex, deftly written and highly recommended saga about unraveling the defenses of the human mind one by one. Quietus is aptly titled after the moment of release of life and haunting to the very end.” —Midwest Book Review
“Beautifully written, this is a tale of suspense and introspection.”
—Amy Rosenfield, Joseph-Beth Booksellers
“An intelligent and gothic masterpiece…Using extensive research obtained from ancient religious apocrypha, Schilling has crafted stunning and plausible insights that question what we have come to know as ‘death.’ The result is an epic and chilling new thriller that will please readers on both a visceral and intellectual level. (Quietus) is true Literary Suspense spoken from the deepest part of the author’s own experience … A haunting and stunning foray.” —West Coast Literary Review
“Schilling has crafted a complex and creepy thriller. An Anne Rice novel without the goth trappings.” —Publisher’s Weekly
“Rich and intelligent … well written…. Her research is valid and invaluable to this thriller. Anyone who wants to branch out from their normal genre of reading should read this book. … (It) will definitely be worth your time!” —The Women’s Connection
“A powerful new thriller … Based on an actual near-death experience, the result is an enlightening and thought-provoking look at what lies beyond our mortal lives.” —Arizona Daily Sun
“Quietus is a masterwork of psychological tension that neatly taps into the fear of death and the unknown that resonates in Western man’s subconscious. Arcane scriptures and medieval artistry add a gothic element to what is already a tautly compelling and spellbinding tale. … The book explores many intriguing themes related to death, and poses interesting questions about who or what inhabits the afterlife...An engrossing page turner.” —Lake County Record-Bee (CA)
“A beautiful, haunting work that stays with the reader long after the last page has been turned … the mark of a true storyteller. Never have I been so enthralled by a suspense novel.” —Jamieson Wolf, Green Man Review
“A compelling novel … amazing passages … very creepy.” —Ellen Datlow, The Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror
“Haunting and passionate … A chilling and foreboding tale about fate, death and the afterlife. The term ‘quietus’ is defined as the moment of death. And what happens at that precise moment when the breath stills, when one passes from the realm of the living, even if only for a brief period. Vivian Schilling offers her own unique and disturbing theories surrounding this age-old question…Schilling delves into Medieval lore, drawing comparisons to arcane texts such as The Book of Enoch and The Book of the Dead, and examines some truly horrific artistic depictions of death and the afterlife…Through the telling of these ancient legends and the use of historical fact, Schilling plausibly brings to light myths that have been sequestered in shadow so very long…Quietus is a suspenseful tale from beginning to end. Gripping and thought-provoking…Highly recommended.” —Dark Realms Magazine
“A psychological thriller by a novelist and screenwriter who has made quite a splash…A spooky page-turner.” —Arkansas Times
“The rollercoaster ride of the story is that it moves from the psychological to the spiritual in such a compelling way that it’s hard to put the book down. Ms. Schilling has obviously done a great deal of research into both the religious and spiritual connections in the afterlife and she presents a window into alternate realties. … (The story) brings up so many thought-provoking ideas that it’s tempting to study the content as a spiritual quest. Quietus is a chilling tale, which will stay with me for some time as I sort out my own thoughts relative to death and the afterlife. —Julie Winters, Empowerment4Women
“Gripping … an intriguing novel that explores the very nature and meaning of death. Schilling spent decades researching near-death experiences. She uses this research to create fascinating mythology about death, of which she makes excellent use in the novel … The initial reading of Quietus can be disturbing, but the characters, particularly Kylie, will return to haunt readers at unusual times. This is the type of book that demands a second reading…always a good sign.” —Foreword Reviews
“A break-out and chilling new thriller.” —Daily Oklahoman
“An engaging tale of love, death and survival … Schilling does an admirable job of creating living, breathing characters.… (and) brings the reader to many levels of understanding as she, through Kylie, explores the historical, religious and cultural beliefs on death … intense and suspenseful … thought provoking … Quietus is a quality, fast paced supernatural thriller that will keep readers enthralled.” —Rob H. Bedford, Science Fiction and Fantasy World
“What makes Vivian Schilling such a great writer is her success in surprising the reader. One never knows what to expect as they walk through the scenes of this book…. She also has a stunning handle on the key factor of suspense … Schilling writes with such clarity that descriptions go directly from the page to the mind’s eye. Mutating beasts can be seen and almost felt, statues very nearly come to life; and the characters are given a depth that make them easy to identify and sympathize with. Once the first few pages have been turned, the reader will be so absorbed the end will seem to have come too quickly.” —Danielle DeFrain, Fiction Addiction
“A remarkable thriller.” —Inside Borders Magazine (An Original Voices Selection)
“Author/screenwriter Vivian Schilling writes dramatically, with a talent for making the reader visualize as though the scenes were on film. As Kylie grapples with the forces stalking her, the reader can’t resist turning to questions of mortality…Should victims of heavy trauma be resuscitated? Can you really come back from the brink? And if you do, how do you face each day thereafter? You find yourself realizing how precious every moment is, that life can end abruptly, at any time … The action is relentless … the story is well told and highly engaging … the wrap-up is neat, tidy and devilishly clever.” —Kate Ayers, Book Reporter