The Whisper Man by Alex North

"If you leave the door half open, soon you'll hear the whispers spoken."

One of my biggest challenges as a book blogger has always been balancing the number of new releases I read with the titles that are already on my bookshelf. More often than not, the new releases take precedence. There are just so many exciting books to share each week. During this quarantine time, I've really committed to trying to give more attention to the books that are already on my shelf. The Whisper Man by Alex North is one of those books. I got it as a Christmas gift last year and have been dying to read it ever since.

"If you play outside alone, soon you won't be going home."

Tom has just moved to Featherbank in the hopes of finding healing and closure for his devastated family. Well, at least for him and his young son Jake. After the sudden death of their wife/mother, both of them are eager to start over. Jake is kind of a peculiar child. He carries with him a bag of "special things", memorabilia from his life that he holds close. Jake doesn't really talk to Tom, but Tom has noticed him talking to the empty chairs and spaces around him. Normal, imaginary friend type conversations, Tom hopes. Just as the two are starting to settle in, the town's dark history begins to resurface.

"If your window's left unlatched, you'll hear him tapping at the glass."

Decades ago, Featherbank was haunted by a serial killer who preyed on small boys from the town. He would lure the children from their homes by standing outside of their bedroom windows and whispering to them. Each night he would speak to the children until they trusted him enough to leave with him. At first, the parents thought this Whisper Man was just a childhood superstition. Then the kids started disappearing. The culprit, Frank Carter was eventually brought to justice, forced to remain in a prison cell, unable to harm any more children. At least that's what everyone believed. Now all these years later, another boy has gone missing under frighteningly familiar circumstances. The legend of The Whisper Man is alive and well.

"If you're lonely, sad, and blue, the Whisper Man will come for you."

In his debut novel The Whisper Man, Alex North takes fairly straight forward police procedural and morphs it into the kind of chilling nightmare that will have you turning on all the lights and anxiously checking your surroundings. Much like Thomas Harris's famed Hannibal Lecter, The Whisper Man Frank Carter is a diabolically charismatic villain whose presence permeates the entire novel with a sense of paranoia, even when he isn't directly on the page. North employs a multitude of perspectives to weave his twisted web, enticing the reader to drift ever so slightly forward into his literary labyrinth. The father-son dynamic between Tom and Jake is portrayed in a way that is genuine and heartfelt. It provides some much-needed glimpses of light in this dim narrative. Equally impressive is the way North imbues DI Pete Willis, a grizzled old detective who blames himself for not catching The Whisper Man fast enough the first time, with just enough humanity to avoid him being just another run-of-the-mill detective. The Whisper Man is a stunning debut that will have you reading into the wee hours of the night and haunt your dreams long after you finish. I'm very happy to have this one sitting on my shelf, and I already have an open space for whatever North comes up with next.

For more information visit Amazon and Goodreads.
(2020, 19)

This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 5, 2020 and is filed under ,,,,,,,,. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response.

25 Responses to “The Whisper Man by Alex North”

  1. As a parent this idea is absolutely chilling, because it can happen! I'm very intrigued, and I do love a thrilling read!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This one will have you completely terrified, in the best way possible!

      Delete
  2. You're reading all the books I want to read! This is another one on my TBR list. Glad to know it exceeded expectations and turned out to be such a chilling nightmare. Can't wait to check it out. :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ooo this sounds so good and after listening to King's If It Bleeds I am in the mood for more chilling tales.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was very creepy haha. I'm listening to the new King book now!

      Delete
  4. Oh that sounds really creepy! The whiiisper man

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. He is the kind of character that really jumps off of the page to haunt you.

      Delete
  5. I FINALLY got a copy if this one, and I really need to read it ASAP. It sounds so spooky but awesome. Glad you loved it.

    -Lauren
    www.shootingstarsmag.net

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You absolutely need to read it! You're going to love it!

      Delete
  6. I really enjoyed this book too, Ethan! I think he added just the right amount of creepy to the mystery. It is great to pull a book off of your shelf and end up really enjoying it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I couldn't stop reading! I also may have closed the blinds to my bedroom window as I read lol.

      Delete
  7. Got chills! I thought Hannibal Lecter was a scary guy, and this one preys on kids. That is terrifying. Sounds like the author did a great job cranking up that tension too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This book is what a suspense novel is all about!

      Delete
  8. Ha! I hear ya about books on the shelf! I figure if I own it, it will wait for me. And then I realize it's been over a year sometimes. I listened to this one and the voice was super creepy. I too really enjoyed it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. North has another one coming out this year, so I'm eager to read more from him!

      Delete
  9. Oh this sounds so creepy! Especially with those quotes you interspersed. And I love a good family dynamic exploration.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That little rhyme made it soooo creepy! The local kids would say that to warn others about the Whisper Man.

      Delete
  10. This was such a memorable debut -- it stuck with me long after I'd finished it.

    ReplyDelete
  11. This one sounds really good, but also terrifying because I have a child around that age. I will read this one when she is 30. Unless she has kids by that time, in which case I will read it when THEY are 30.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Just hold her close while you read it lol

      Delete
    2. Right??!! It sounds like a great read though...my library has physical and ebook copies. Decisions, decisions...

      Delete
    3. Then you have to read it! Definitely more of a thriller than horror.

      Delete

Powered by Blogger.