I know every mystery book review starts "couldn't put this one down"; however, I hate to say it, but this one was really hard to put down. So much, in fact, I was up till 1 am finishing it. Trust me, I am a mom of a newborn so I cherish every minute of sleep I can get.
This was then, more of a mystery rather than a horror that I thought it was going to be. None the less, this was still a spooky read during the month of October, and glad I read it.
The characters you see development throughout the whole book. You hope everything works out for Pete, and I absolutely adored Jake.
I would recommend this book in a heartbeat. Quick, but quotes throughout that stuck with me, and were hard-hitting. Bravo.
I loved this book so much I chose this as my Book of the Month pick.

I would like to thank Netgalley, Celadon Books and Alex North, for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Thank you for the advanced copy of this book. My reviews can be read on my GoodReads account here: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1335387-kelly

Life's been crazy these last few months so I'm late in reviewing this but The Whisper Man was hands down, the best thriller I've read in quite some time! It was an engrossing, ominous read. In other words, a dark and creepy thriller...what more could you possibly want?

Twenty years ago, serial killer Frank Carter - nicknamed "The Whisper Man" on account of luring his victims out by whispering at their windows at night - was convicted for the murder of 4 children and put away for life. There was a 5th child that was unfortunately, never found which continues to haunt Detective Pete Willis to this day.
Now, another young boy has gone missing and his disappearance is unnervingly similar to Frank's crimes.
In need of a fresh start, Tom and his son Jake have relocated to Featherbank only to find themselves in the middle of the search for a serial killer. Since the death of his wife Tom has been having trouble connecting with Jake and is dismayed to find that Jake's imaginary friend appears to have followed them on their move. It isn't long before Jake begins reciting a rhyme about the Whisper man and Tom hears Jake whispering only this time, he says it's the boy in the floor...

With enough twists and turns that serve to amp up the suspense, I had a hard time putting this down. Not only do we have a spine-tingling, edge of your seat thriller, this book has a heavy focus on father-son relationships and the characters are all very well-developed.

*I loved this so much that even though I had finished reading it a day or so before the books release, I picked up the audiobook and gave that a listen as well. I was not disappointed - I also happen to love Christopher Eccleston from his Doctor Who days so of course I adored his narration.

Alex North's debut thriller is impressive. Tom Kennedy and his son Jake move to a new house after the death of his wife. The new town is the site of a serial child abductor 20 years prior then another child goes missing. You'll be on the edge of your seat, finding it hard to put this one down.

Not usually a fan of creepy thrillers and things that whisper in the night, so this was reading very outside of my comfort zone. But as I turned the pages (only reading in the daylight btw), I have to admit that I sort of enjoyed the spooky thrill. Great writing, a good story to choose for this time of year with Halloween just around the corner.

3.5 stars.

Tom Kennedy is a recent widower and he and his son Jake need a new start. They choose a creepy house in a town where twenty years ago a serial killer had a spree with some young boys. Now there has been another child abducted. Somebody should have read the dang news reports but what do I know?
Anyways...the serial killer dude seems to be back after his twenty year hiatus but how? He in prison and detective Pete has been visiting him there trying to find out what he did with that last little boy.


The serial killer in question was called "The Whisper Man" because all the boys that he took and murdered heard someone whispering outside their windows. Now Jake is hearing whispering...and seeing a little girl that no one else sees.


Creepy huh?

This book reads fast and I did turn some pages fast. It's creepy and perfect reading for an October read. The author also does a pretty good job of keeping you wondering what the heck is going to happen next.

There are just a few things that bugged me. It's pretty obvious I'm a total wrong reader when it comes to hyped up books. [The main thing was...why the heck did everyone have to be related? IT was just too convenient and I hated that part. (hide spoiler)]

Booksource: Netgalley in exchange for review.

I found the plot fairly flat and the switching of POV unnecessary. I DNF the book after 200 or so pages. I did enjoy the possibility of a supernatural aspect as that always keeps me on my toes.

If you wanna have nightmares, this is the book for you. I woke up several times thinking someone (presumably the whisper man) was in my room. Yikes! This one is certifiably creepy. And the poem/song that goes with the tale, still gives me the creeps!

The Whisper Man is fast paced, spine tingling, and atmospheric. What starts as a family drama turns into a creepy house with a horror story attached, and then it turns into a suspenseful police procedural featuring multiple layers that are peeled back in just the right pacing. Everything about this novel was atmospheric. There were butterflies, an imaginary friend, the boy in the floor, the man whispering at the window to little boys, the creepy new haunted (?) house that Tom and Jake move into… I could go on and on!

I loved the father and son relationship between Tom and Jake. They each are dealing with the loss of someone important to them (a wife and mother, respectively), and they are struggling to connect with each other and move on from that. Tom was his own character completely, and I loved that he was flawed in his own ways but still trying to do the best he could. Jake was a creepy, yet adorable character. There were so many instances where I just wanted to run away from this child, but then I also wanted to hug him and tell him everything was going to be okay. Frank Carter, the actual Whisper Man, was super creepy himself. I loved that he was involved in the novel even though he had been locked up for twenty years. Bringing the detective back from that case (Pete) to work with the new detective (Amanda) was so interesting to watch unfold.

I think this is one of those love it or hate it novels, and I was definitely here to love it. I’ve been under the impression that those who love The Chestnut Man were not fond of The Whisper Man. Likewise, those that were fond of The Whisper Man were not fond of The Chestnut Man. I LOVED THEM BOTH, and I loved them each for their own reasons, but especially because of the detail and layering of secrets featured in both novels.

While some found it boring in the first half, I found it enthralling and immersive. If you love an atmospheric read with complex characters, then you will love this. If you love detailed and intricate story lines and secrets laced in your thrillers, then you will love this one. If you enjoy reading about intelligent and heartless serial killers, then you will love this. Yes, my heart is dark and twisted. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2918770121

Celadon Books and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of The Whisper Man. I was under no obligation to review this book and my opinion is freely given.

After a tragedy that resulted in the death of his wife, Tom Kennedy decides that he and their seven year old son, Jake, need a fresh start. Will the decision to move into a house in the village of Featherbank, a town with a past, ultimately lead the father and son into danger? When a kidnapping eerily mimics past crimes of the Whisper Man, will the police be able to puzzle out the truth before it is too late?

This novel is written from different perspectives, but never does it feel disjointed or out of place. The story of a father and son starting over, yet still having to face the demons of the past, is nothing new, but the realistic characters and small town setting give the book life. The hint of the supernatural adds a creepy feeling to the novel, in a good sort of way. The idea of hearing a whisper in the dead of night is chilling and propels this book forward. With realistically drawn characters and a good plot, The Whisper Man is a mystery thriller that I would recommend to other readers.

This was the perfect October read! Chilling, eerie and mysterious, it was a story that hooked me from the start. I would describe it as a crime mystery with a supernatural element. Six year old Jake and his father have just moved to Featherbank to start anew. Jake’s mother recently passed and Jake has been having a fair number of conversations with his imaginary friends. His father is worried and unsure how to talk to him and be a good father figure. He’s not sure what to think or do about Jake’s one sided conversations. The Whisper Man is a legend and cautionary tale to the folks in Featherbank, where he murdered several young boys. The story starts with a boy named Neil being abducted in Featherbank under similar circumstances except that The Whisper Man has been in jail for the past 20 years. What is going on? And who or what has picked up where The Whisper Man left off? And is Jake connected somehow?

The police storyline was okay but the real draw for me was Jake and his imaginary friends. I also loved the spooky descriptions of their house, which full on reminded me of Amityville Horror. There was a definite scare factor in this book, which doesn’t happen very often for me. The old classic ghost story within a murder mystery framework.

A gracious thank you to the publisher and NG for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars!

The man's heart, beating more quickly now, ached at the thought of that. He stepped silently out from the bushes behind the boy, and then whispered his name


Want to be creeped out? Read this story. I think if you have little children at home this will definitely hit you hard.

Tom's wife has passed away and he wants a fresh start for his son Jake and himself. They find a great house that Jake is really drawn to and so they purchase it. Little do they know that house has some history, and some serious history at that. There was a man who was known as "The Whisper Man" and he was a serial killer in the town. He was eventually caught however his legacy has not been lost.

Just as the guys are getting used to their new town and house another young boy goes missing. They start to hear noises and the same types of patterns start to show up all around town. Could the Whisper man be back? How is that possible when he's supposedly locked up.....Detectives who were on the case back then start to look into it all over again. They come across new clues and start to put the pieces together. One night Jake hears a whisper and this is where the creepy story really starts to unofold...

Overall I really enjoyed reading this book. It was definitely one of my most anticipated books of the year. It definitely has a creepy vibe to it and I would suggest not reading it at home alone, especially at night. On the other hand this was marketed as over the top creepy and I'm not sure it was that for me. Maybe if I had kids it would have impacted me more since the kids were the victims in this story. Either way this story definitely has serious serial killer thriller vibes and I am here for it.

One thing that I enjoyed in this story, besides a thrilling story, was the relationship Jake and Tom had. They went through A LOT of struggles in their relationship through this book. I enjoyed watching their journey and being able to protect each other (yes, each other!) when they both needed it most. True unconditional love was shown here and between the scary stuff it was pretty heartwarming.

If you love creepy and want a good thriller - pick this one up. It's definitely a winner!

Thank you to Celadon books for my copy of this book!

Just spent an awesome couple of days reading this jewel of a book. This was a book that I have been hearing mostly great things about and it more than lives up to the hype. This is a creepy, dark, multi-generational thriller that is much deeper than most. The pathological psychology twists in this as well as the family dynamics truly keep you turning the pages and reading late into the night.
Highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a spooky, creepy (not gory) October or autumnal read, this is it! A definitive 5/5 stars!

#TheWhisperMan #NetGalley #CeladonBooks

So I have been seeing this book all over social media, so I had to see what the hype was all about. Not going to lie when I first started the book I was BORED and stopped reading the book. Then this book was selected as the virtual book club read and a lot of the members were raving about the book so I decided to give it another chance. I am so happy I did because the book started picking up and I couldn’t read fast enough to see what would happen. There were some twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. I love when a book keeps me on my toes. I must admit I could only read during the day because I got scared at night. Pitiful I know. This was my first time reading this author and it won’t be my last time. If you are looking for a spooky and creepy story for the season look no further!

Wow! Talk about dark & disturbing, this one was for sure. Tom's wife has passed away and he is left to raise his young son by himself. When they move out of their family home into a new house things start to feel not exactly right. In this new town they learn that last year a young boy went missing and years ago there was similar cases. The person responsible for those crimes has been incarcerated for years, so who could possibly be to blame for the crimes taking place now? The Whisper Man is the ultimate catch for two detectives who will soon have their work cut out for them.

This is the perfect book to read around October since it is spooky and has Halloween vibes. I loved this book and flew through it. I would definitely recommend leaving a light on if you are reading at night! This is an amazing dark, twisty, and creepy thrillers that fans shouldn't miss!

I really enjoyed this book. It held my attention and I didn't want to put it down because I had to know what happened next.

I wanted to love this book because it sounded creepy and scary, but no it wasn't. I enjoyed the writing style as it made the story move along. He let us know who the killer was at the 60% mark, which is what a good thriller should do. My problem was that there were many plot holes, predictable twists, and the pov from Jake wasn't good. I also didn't understand the "part 1, part 2, or part 3" of the book. Were they breaking up different parts of the stories or chapters? I have no clue. I'd definitely read more from this author but hopefully his stories get more polished with the next book.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher's for the book.

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. review: This is a dark, suspenseful thriller that will certainly make you double (and triple) check that your doors are locked at night! The Whisper Man was a highly anticipated fall book for me and it lived up to the hype. This book is well written and the author intricately weaves the story of The Whisper Man into this multi-generational tale. It is compelling from the very first pages and it has so many layers to it that you can’t help but to keep reading, even when you’re sufficiently creeped out. I loved the police-procedural aspect to this book along with the father-son relationships that show up throughout. It gave the perfect storm of mystery and suspense. Each layer has a bit of shock value to it and I personally really enjoyed that! This is a great, eerie book to pick up in October! rating: 4 out of 5 ⭐️

Wow! So right up front, this is totally going to be one of my top five books of 2019. I know there's three months to go but I'm confident. This book was absolutely engrossing right from the start. There were no slow parts, every chapter was impossible to put down. I typically like jumpy thrillers but this one is deliciously creepy, like a whisper in the dark. The plot plays out so visually that I felt several times like this story is only a script away from being a movie and each point in the timeline is perfectly placed for the best effect on the reader. The story's told through multiple characters and each had their own unique voice. It's one of those odd instances where I can't pick a favorite character; I loved them all! (But if you twisted my arm, I loved Pete the most.)

And the reveals! Holy moly, the reveals in this thriller are some of the best I've read. I was so shocked by one that I audibly shouted out while reading, which I never do and had my partner thinking something bad had happened. Nope, just a great book! The reveals are also so well-placed. Nothing happens that's a complete 180; everything lines up when the reader looks back which is really satisfying. I could not recommend this one more! Take my word for it: this book's gonna be huge!

Note: I received a free Kindle edition of this book via NetGalley in exchange for the honest review above. I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher Celadon Books, and the author Alex North for the opportunity to do so.

The Whisper Man by Alex North is a 2019 Celadon Books publication.

Unsettling, spine-tingling, and emotionally charged thriller!

After the untimely death of his wife, Tom Kennedy feels like a fresh start in a new location, might help him and his young son, Jake, move forward from their grief and begin the healing process. But almost immediately after moving to Featherbank, a new set of problems presents themselves. Jake has trouble adjusting to his new school, just as another boy Jake’s age goes missing. The child’s disappearance prompts concerns that another serial killer is on the loose in Featherbank- one with the same MO as the dreaded ‘Whisper Man’ who murdered five people twenty years ago. The case becomes personal for Tom and Jake when Jake begins having nightmares, claiming he can hear someone whispering to him at his window….

Meanwhile, detectives Amanda Beck and Pete Willis are working overtime to find this missing boy before another child disappears…

I’ve been avoiding hyped up thrillers, books that everyone is reading, and mostly gushing over, because my experience with these situations has taught me a few hard lessons- mainly, don’t buy into the hype, because I’m only setting myself up for a big disappointment. But, earlier this year, another book by this same publisher became a huge sleeper hit, and although I was highly skeptical, I caved and checked the book out the library. Well, much to my surprise, the book was very good. So, when ‘The Whisper Man’ started to generate a little buzz, I decided to jump on board the already crowded train, just see if lightning might strike twice… And lo and behold, it did!!

But, to be honest, when one gets right down to the nitty and the gritty, this book is basically another thriller with a serial killer trope. However, what sets it apart from so many other cookie-cutter novels in this category, is the characterizations, and the author’s ability to explore the real psychology behind the character’s actions, without compromising the intensity of the real terror one feels while reading this book. The story is packed with strange, creepy, atmospheric vibes, promising Tom and Jake are being threatened by true evil.

While the mystery is compelling, and the atmosphere is thick and heavy, the author takes a story of horror and dread, and adds in a deeper, more complex angle- a topic that isn’t explored often enough in general fiction, much less in a thriller- the dynamics of the father-son relationship.

The story is very masculine, with the few female characters being suspect, bland, or not very nice-like Jake’s teacher, for example. I never bristled though, because the male leads are portrayed as flawed, burdened, troubled, and vulnerable, and the book never once veered off into an alpha male, testosterone driven story.

From start to finish this is a well written, intense, highly suspenseful thriller- but it is also smart and profound, ending not only with extreme, exhilarating relief, as I released a breath I didn't realize I was holding- 😉, but also on a note of redemptive satisfaction.

Overall, this is another winner for Celadon Books, but as a reader, I’m super excited about Alex North! If this is his debut novel, I wonder how much his talent will develop over time.

5 stars