Member Reviews

I enjoyed this dark, a little bit twisty thriller. It has been getting a lot hype for months now and I was excited to see what it was all about. I enjoyed it, but not quite as much as some. It is definitely a good read, but due to the hype I think I was expecting a bit more. What can you do!? Sometimes these things happen when books get a lot of hype.

This book was more of a police procedural than I was expecting. From the reviews I saw I was expecting something so creepy it would keep me up at night. My favorite characters were Tom and Jake, father and son who are just trying to make it work after Jake’s mom passes away. My heart really went out to them!

This is a good, solid read. I am impressed that this is Alex North’s debut novel and I look forward to reading more!

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A fantastically creepy tale! The story alternates between the point of view of Tom, a man starting over with his young son, and police detective Pete Willis, who is looking for a kidnapper and possible child killer. Twists and suspense abound as the danger gets closer and closer to home. I will definitely be looking for more from Alex North!

I recieved a copy of this book from Netgalley

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'If you leave a door half open, you'll hear the whisper spoken. If you play outside alone soon you won 't be going home. If your Windows left unlatched, you'll hear him tapping at the glass. If your lonely, sad, and blue, the whisper man will come for you.”

As the well-known Crime Junkie podcast says, this gave me full body chills. Seriously, this line made me stop reading and glance around my house for possible unlatched doors, open windows, and open blinds.

This book did such a wonderful job of displaying thriller and horror through words, characterizations, and vivid scenery without using gruesome language and storytelling. Although, the scenes are heart-wrenching and awful, they are not too vivid or overly used.

Tom Kennedy lost his wife and is left to raise his 7-year-old son, Jake, alone. With a desire to start over and help his son move on from his mother’s death they move to Featherbank. However in Featherbank, little boys are going missing. This novel features two perspectives, Tom Kennedy’s perspective and Pete Willis, a local detective, perspective who is haunted by an eerily similar situation which occurred 20 years prior where “The Whisper Man” lured 5 children out of their houses by whispering to the in the dark. However, Frank Carter the alleged Whisper Man is in jail for his crimes… so why is little children going missing in the same way?

This book is dark, thrilling, and keeps you on your toes. I loved this book and it kept me guessing and surprising me at every turn. It made me want to sleep with my light on and could not keep the haunting children’s rhyme from my head.

Thank you NetGalley for a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

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This is my favorite book of 2019 right now. I was actually afraid reading this and was constantly recommending it to anyone I spoke to before even finishing it, that’s how good it was even in the midst. I got very strong True Detective vibes reading this, it’d make such a good television show or movie!! I could visualize it so well. Then at other points I was reminded of Silence of the Lambs a lot, which was amazing. These characters were so well written and had their own strong personalities that I loved following. I’m going to miss them and wish I could see where they end up. I need to read about film or tv rights being bought for this if it hasn’t happened already, I’ll be on the lookout, this was amazing. 10/10

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Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for this early copy!

I'm glad that finally decided to pick up this interesting thriller. I really liked the writing style even if some of the pacing was just okay for me and the twist was not the best. I will be checking out more from this author in the future. 4 Stars. Full review to come soon.

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Thank you for the ARC.

I enjoyed this book. It was so creepy and twisty. It was a great book to read on Halloween. The book was disturbing and scary. I had to make sure my windows and doors were locked. It was a good read though.

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Tom Kennedy and his young son, Jake, have just moved to the town of Featherbank. They are looking for a fresh start after the sudden death of Tom's wife. Dealing with his own grief is hard enough, but Tom is also concerned about Jake and his recent strange behavior - talking to imaginary friends, closing himself off from others, and more.

As soon as they move into their new home, Tom notices strange things beginning to happen - weird noises, strangers lurking about. At the same time, there are rumors around town after the disappearance of a young boy Jake's age - some believe it is the return of the Whisper Man, a serial killer who terrorized the town decades earlier by luring young boys out of their rooms at night by whispering at their windows.

And then one night Tom wakes up to Jake talking back to someone who whispering to him from outside the door...

The Whisper Man is a creepy thriller with twists and turns that will make you want to finish it in one sitting. It's a solid mystery with some spooky elements thrown in. Tom is the narrator, but the perspective alternates back and forth between him, Jake, and the two detectives investigating the case. There is some great character development here too. This is Alex North's debut novel, but I'd definitely be interested in reading more or even in seeing this as series based on the detectives.

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This is Alex North's debut novel and WOW! He hits it out of the park! I was captivated almost immediately and could not stop reading. Yes, it's suspenseful and creepy, which I expected., but it also has heart and really develops the characters and their relationships. There aren't too many graphic details, which I appreciated. That's the great thing about amazing suspense writers -- they can describe a scene or situation without gore overlord.

**I received an advanced digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my fair and unbiased review.

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enjoyed this one. first book by this author, not knowing anything about the author made it interesting. good overall story, kept me engaged throughout.

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4.5⭐️

I don’t know why it took me so long to read this book, because I knew I’d like it once I started it. Maybe I was afraid of the hype being too much?

I’d seen other reviewers mention that this book gave them legit nightmares, and while I wouldn’t go that far, it definitely was a solid creepy crime book.

Tom Kennedy needs a new start for himself and his young son, Jake, after the death of his wife. He takes Jake and moves him into a quiet little town in hopes of starting over and getting through everything together. Twenty years ago, this neighborhood was on high alert for a serial child-killer, the Whisper Man. He got his nickname because he would target children and then come whispering through their windows at night to get them to let him inside. Eventually authorities captured him and put him behind bars. But recently, a child was kidnapped and killed in much the same manner. Rumors start that somehow the Whisper Man is back at it again, and Tom is concerned when his son Jake tells him about the whispers he’s been hearing at night.

This book was so solidly written and did such a good job connecting past and present. It had so much great backstory interwoven in there and just enough suspense to keep me flipping pages. I’ll admit that it was a little predictable, but that never took away any enjoyment for me while reading. I love thrillers that portray a solid familial relationship. And I especially love thrillers where young kids talk to ghosts or imaginary friend type characters. Check, check, and check.

This book was sort of everything I wanted when I was reading Imaginary Friend, but a few hundred pages shorter and much much more enjoyable.

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I really enjoyed The Whisper Man. The perfect amount of creepiness. Will keep you turning the pages. Definitely recommend.

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Creepy!
I really enjoyed this debut thriller by Alex North.
A dark tale of a father and son caught in the middle of an investigation to catch a killer preying on a small town. The background story of the Whisper Man, now rotting in prison for the murder of 5 boys, was captivating reigniting old rumors that he had an accomplice. But did he?
A slow burn of a story with interesting characters and a well done supernatural vibe.

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

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Love. Love. Love.

I'm a thriller lover and unfortunately the genre is so saturated that it's difficult to find something unique, surprising, unexpected, and creepy. The Whisper Man hit it out of the park on all accounts.

There were so many parts of this book where I found myself sincerely shocked by some of the twists which is generally not the case when I read thrillers. And the story itself was just disturbing enough to give you the heebie jeebies.

The characters were authentic and flawed in a way that felt so real. I felt their struggles.

I would love to see this book made into a movie. It would make a great film for the Halloween season.

If you like thrillers, go read this one now. You'll thank me later.

-I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, Alex North, and Celadon Books for the opportunity to review.-

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3.5 stars

Oh my, i started this at night (im a big 'ol chicken) and it was so captivating and was really into. But then i got to 2/3 of the way and it was back to a regular thriller that was predictable and ok. The end was rushed i find. The creepiness factor did not hold up.

Tom and Jake move to a new town and creepy house after a devastating loss for a new start. But things don't go as planned. I read many times the praises on the back of the book and i was so excited to be "unnerved and trilled". It started out with a bang but quickly flamed out.

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Tom and his son Jake are looking to make a fresh start after the death of Toms’ wife. They move to a new town and Jake hopes he'll make friends fast - real ones, not the imaginary ones that are his current companions. But is the new town the best place for this father and son? After all, Featherbank has quite the history - 20 years earlier "The Whisper Man" abducted and murdered several young boys.
This book was SO CREEPY and I loved every second of it!!! Great read to curl up on your couch with - but be prepared to stay up for a while thinking you hear whispers.....
Thanks to Alex North, Celadon Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this fantastic book!!

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So. Many. Feelings. I had no idea what I was getting into when I started this book. The reason I picked it for my book discussion was because it was a mystery/thriller with a little bit of a horror element. What I didn't expect was to be moved to tears more than once!!! Books like this don't usually do that. I liked everything about this book. It kept me on my toes, there were interesting and flawed characters, and it had a supernatural element that I really enjoyed! I would HIGHLY recommend this book!!!!!

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I could not put this one down! The Whisper Man is just the right amount of creepy and makes for the perfect fall read. Just make sure you've locked the door!

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The premise of the book is absolutely terrifying. The entire book has an eerie feel. There was so much that could happen. I found some of the book slow, and felt very disconnected to the characters. It was definitely a better story when I look back after reading it, but as I was reading it everything felt very slow.

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I absolutely positively loved this book. It was a thrill ride from start to finish. I love a book that can scare me and this one did in a couple of places. Not scare like maybe Stephen King but like who is THE WHISPER MAN and will they find the children? It is edge of your seat good.

I highly recommend this one for anyone who loves a book that will keep them reading way into the night and then feel a bit afraid to fall asleep.

Thank you NetGalley and Celadon Books for this wonderful book.

A huge 5 stars..

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Tom Kennedy has decided to move himself and his son Jake to a new home in a new town to help overcome their grief over the loss of a mother/wife. When his son son goes to bed, he goes to his dad, telling him he saw a man at his window. Attending school, he learns about the “whispering man” who killed 5 little boys over a decade ago. He was caught. However Tom finds Jake at. The sliding glass door talking to someone late at night. He grabs Jake and calls the police. They look over the place finding no evidence of an intruder being there. Tom feels that the police didn’t take him seriously. What happens next is that Jake does disappear. Will he be found?

This is a terrifying story as it shows how easily a child can be taken. I felt the heartbreak of the father on his son’s disappearance. The story is about good versus evil. Even though it is not a new theme, it is one that never loses the interest of it. The father—son relationship fascinated me as at time they were so distant with each other. This was a complex story.

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