About the Book:

 

In this dark, suspenseful thriller, Alex North weaves a multi-generational tale of a father and son caught in the crosshairs of an investigation to catch a serial killer preying on a small town.

After the sudden death of his wife, Tom Kennedy believes a fresh start will help him and his young son Jake heal. A new beginning, a new house, a new town. Featherbank.

But the town has a dark past. Twenty years ago, a serial killer abducted and murdered five residents. Until Frank Carter was finally caught, he was nicknamed “The Whisper Man,” for he would lure his victims out by whispering at their windows at night.

Just as Tom and Jake settle into their new home, a young boy vanishes. His disappearance bears an unnerving resemblance to Frank Carter’s crimes, reigniting old rumors that he preyed with an accomplice. Now, detectives Amanda Beck and Pete Willis must find the boy before it is too late, even if that means Pete has to revisit his great foe in prison: The Whisper Man.

And then Jake begins acting strangely. He hears a whispering at his window…

 

MY REVIEW:

 

“It always ends where it starts.”

WOW! What a spook-fest! I love thrillers and I was very curious about ‘The Whisper Man’ which really is a combination of psychological thriller, mystery and a touch of the supernatural. The writing is superb and the alternating POV’s were expertly handled. This is a very nuanced and slow-building story, with the added emotions of father-son relationships.

A small town in Britain is being terrorized once again by the sudden disappearance of a young child. Years before, a notorious kidnapper named Frank Carter – known as “The Whisper Man” – was convicted of similar crimes and imprisoned. How could the same thing be happening all over again? Is Frank Carter somehow responsible or connected to the recent disappearance? The police are taunted by Carter as they race against the clock to save the missing child.

Parallel to the police investigation is the story of Tom Kennedy, a recent widower who moved into a house with his young son Jake. Jake is a troubled child and Tom and Jake have a very strained relationship. The author deftly deals with this very relationship in a very touching manner. Jake is a sensitive and imaginative child who also hears voices in the night and has an imaginary friend. How is their story connected to The Whisper Man?

“If you leave a door half open, soon you’ll hear the whispers spoken.”

I loved this book and enjoyed the shocking twists in the story. ‘The Whisper Man’ was outside of my usual reading genre and I enjoyed every minute! Alex North is a gifted writer and deserves all the accolades. Even as I’m writing this review, I am still thinking about the unsettling ending. I found the story, even though dark and disturbing, to be gripping. ‘The Whisper Man’ will make a fabulous movie!

(ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)