I received an ARC through NetGalley from Celadon Books. Paul returns home to Gritten after 25 years because his mother is in hospice. Upon returning he remembers all the pain that caused him to leave. As a teen, him and 3 friends explored dream diaries and lucid dreaming that brought about a ghastly murder. Now that Paul is back the horrors are starting to unfold again. Meanwhile Detective Amanda Beck is investigating a current and similar murder that has lead her to Gritten as well. Told between Now and Before, this was a plodding thriller that I felt tried to hard to impress its readers. It was captivating enough, but overall I felt the author being cunning with his twists and turns. The characters were flat and I wasn’t very invested. I thought The Whisper Man was better, but I would probably read another book by Alex North because his premises are so unique.

4.5 stars. This was almost a five star read for me. The ending was a slight letdown, but not much. This is a great thriller that, quite frankly, was far more scary to me than The Whisper Man. Plus, I gasped a few times while reading this one because the twists were fantastic and I didn't see them coming at all. It helped that I went into the story completely blind.

Don't read this one at night. Very few books scare me anymore, but this one did. I also liked it more than The Whisper Man. Alex North will definitely be an auto-buy author for me.

I was hooked when Jenny and Paul were talking about their favorite Stephen King books.

Read this one. You'll see what I mean.

Thank you so much to Celadon Books and NetGalley for my copy!

A familiar storyline that seems ripped from the headlines is told with plenty of twists. Two boys lure another into the woods to kill him in honor of a supposed dream creature (not Freddy Kreuger) in a copycat murder to one that happened many years ago in the same small town. Paul has just returned to town to visit his ailing mother, and is horrified by the similarity - he knew the victim and the perpetrators of the first murder. When a cryptic comment by his mother leads him to the attic of her house, he finds a record of the crime from the past and the current one. Why was his mother so concerned? Meanwhile, a young police detective is trying to solve the current crime and finds a link to Charlie Crabtree, one of the original murderers, to the new case in an online forum. There's just one problem - Crabtree disappeared after the murder 25 years ago. Is there really a Red Hands monster in the woods and did Crabtree go with him? Or are more human monsters lurking? There is creepy scenes and a story that looks at all the effects of a murder on everyone around them, this is just as good as North's "Whisper Man."

Alex North, the author of Whisper Man, returns with this horror-thriller about past crimes that don't stay buried and too many dead kids. I read Whisper Man not too long ago, and this book happens in the same general area and even references The Whisper Man, so I'm curious to see if North will write something SUPER different, because this felt similar, but I enjoyed it and read it in one day!

Paul Adams returns to Gritten to visit his dying mother in her final days. He hasn't been back since he left for college, a few years after his semi-involvement in a terrible crime that resulted in one dead friend, another arrested, and one missing young man. While he's back and dealing with the struggles of his mother and his own emotions and memories, a new crime occurs that has ties to the crime that Paul was running away from. Detective Amanda Beck is on the case of a young boy killed by two of his friends, and she ends up learning about an online forum about lucid dreaming and the past crimes. Are these copycat crimes? Or is someone thought gone actually back and active? There's copycats, weird dream journals, small town crime and interconnectedness,  and yes, murder. What happened back when Paul was a teenager, and will he ever escape it....if it is, as his mother says, inside the house? And who the heck is Mister Red Hands?

Alright, so I liked this book! I want to say that. I was super compelled by the story. But it DID feel very similar to The Whisper Man--young boys dead (different ages, but still), a past crime being revisited decades later, visits to people involved in the old crimes, online people obsessed with the crime, a police detective with her own issues, an aspiring writer protagonist with parental concerns..you see where I'm going? I won't spoil the "ending" but it also felt kind of similar to The Whisper Man, and I'm happy to talk about that with anyone that has questions.  That doesn't mean I didn't like the book--I just couldn't ignore the parallels! 

Overall, I think it was a good book though! Compelling, thrilling, lots of little twists.I didn't LOVE the lucid dreaming thing but I know some people are interested in that stuff, and I thought the back and forth in time was well done. I think fans of The Whisper Man will like this, but definitely wonder if North can write something outside of this ouvre.

I couldn't wait to jump into this book. Last year's book by this author was one of my favorite books of the year. I went into this one really hoping for another bone-chilling read!

This book is side-connected to the author's previous book, The Whisper Man. You do NOT have to read The Whisper Man to read this one though. The town for the previous book does hold a significance to this story. If you read this book first, you will end up wanting to read the other just off the pieces that are given in this book.

The only let down for me in this book was that it wasn't so much of a horror like the previous book. I wish it had been more scary. I really wanted the creep factor. It definitely wasn't as strong in this book.

There are a couple of mysteries in this one. They are connected, yet standalone mysteries. Okay, they're totally connected. They just felt separate at times. I was wholly immersed in getting all of the answers to this book. I can say I put the pieces together later in the book. This left me feeling satisfied. I get a little let down when I figure stuff out too soon.

Overall, this book is definitely on the must-read list. For all of you thriller junkies, this one will definitely be one you don't want to miss.

I dug the dual timelines and the fact that it had to have been tricky to alternate the narrative from first person to third person when weaving the past and present. It’s not complicated as other reviewers are claiming, rather it was masterful; more on that later. I can see why Paul would want to run from his past, but I think burying that kind of pain can be tricky. I love lucid dreaming, so shared lucid dreams sounds appealing, and I was curious to see if that was actually what was happening or if there was more.

We get to see Amanda, who we met in The Whisper Man, a character we’ve come to appreciate because of how skilled she is. I liked the fact that this book had nothing to do with the previous, but that she got to play a role. For someone so desperate to leave the past behind, Paul got obsessed with trying to figure out Charlie. I don’t want to say more on the “Charlie-lucid dreaming” so I don’t spoil it, but I was underwhelmed. I think it would have been near impossible to pull off, but...maybe? I was also thrown off that Paul didn’t see his mother as an actual person until he was 40. Maybe the fact he hadn’t seen her in over two decades aided in that, but I would like to think we come to that realization much sooner in our lives.

I wasn’t prepared for the big twist and never saw it coming. I want to circle back to the alternating timelines though. North writes: “Dreams are a patchwork, stitched together from the things that happen to us in our waking lives.” And the book is written along the patchwork lines. Because in each timeframe, North brings you right to the edge and then switches time, leaving you desperate to piece together the mystery. Time slowly weaved itself together while leaving you eager to have the story made whole, which made it a super thrilling read. Thank you, Celadon Books, for sending this along!

This book is great. I absolutely love love this book. The story line was very unique. I love that it was kind of like a Horrorvlike theme. I love how it's switched from when the main character was an adult, and then to a child leading up to the events of what happened. It was absolutely unique storyline and an absolute great book. This author is really great as I read another book by him before.

“It’s going to be okay. Yes, I think about that a lot. How every good parent says it, and how often they’re wrong.”

The Shadows was literally amazing, I had high hopes because The Whisper Man was one of my favorite books of 2019, but this one was even better if you can even imagine that. Alex North once again blew my mind and made an even better book than The Whisper Man.

I love books, especially thrillers, that have multiple perspectives and this one in fact had that aspect. Not only did we have different perspectives, but we had two timelines of events. When our main character, Paul, was a teenager and now twenty odd some years later returning to his home town where he never thought he would have to go again. I can’t put into words how well North’s writing is, he knows how to push those certain buttons within you that make you scared and freaked out but also wanting to know more.

“What explanation could there possibly be for the horror she had seen in the quarry that afternoon that would make sense of it? Asking why was like diving into a black hole. The deeper you went, the less light you found.”

Just like in his first novel, this book has a twist that basically throws everything off balance and has me completely and utterly shocked. My favorite part of thrillers is not only how they scare me, but if I can guess the ending or be completely dumbfounded. Let me tell you, I didn’t have an inkling of how this was going to end and was just blown away. The Shadows is going to one of the most talked about books in 2020 because it was nothing short of phenomenal.

Author of the whisper man., another great book
Creepy enough to keep you wanting to read more. Was a great book. Was excited to see this on net galley.

Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for an early release if this book.

📕BOOK REVIEW: THE SHADOWS BY ALEX NORTH📕

Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Writing style: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Would I recommend buying? BUY IT!!
Drink rec: Dark n Stormy🥃

“Red hands, red hands, red hands everywhere.”

Y’all this book was CREEPY!!! I would not recommend reading by yourself in the dark! I loved how it had such a similar style to The Whisper Man (and even referenced Featherbank!) The pacing was also on point—I couldn’t put it down!

The plot switched from present day to the past and incorporated a few different POVs, which I liked! You definitely have to pay close attention because there are quite a few characters to keep track of (I literally wrote the names down to help me lol). I found the alternating timelines, large cast of characters, and reality vs. lucid dreams to be a bit confusing at times.

Overall, I found this book to be unique, I enjoyed the twists, and best of all I couldn’t predict the ending!!! If you are looking for a super creepy book to binge read this summer, I def recommend The Shadows!

See review on my instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/tipsybookreviews/?hl=en

This book was the right kind of creepy. I also enjoyed how the author tied in his previous book to this book. You have two different timelines and multiple points of views. That sounds like there’s a lot going on in the book and there is but it was by no means overwhelming. The book gets you invested right from the beginning and hold you right to the end. I’m excited to see with this author has in store for us next.

Wonderful writing and an interesting premise, but I thought “The Whisper Man” was an all around better book. There were a lot of references to the “Slender Man” concept in this book...which was fine...but not my favorite plot line.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48842144

You know that prickly feeling you get on the back of your neck when you sense someone is watching you?

Someone is.

Yep it's official. Alex North is the king of atmospheric suspense. This book starts with a bang and doesn't stop. Just like Whisper Man (which I absolutely loved too), this book checks all the boxes for a perfect mystery/thriller suspense ride. It had me staying up way too late reading, jumping at noises in my house, and double checking my doors were locked!

North creates a brilliant balance of characters, suspense, intrigue, and supernatural. Most notably, I loved the development of the main character, Paul, and how a few unexpected twists in the end of the story, really open up his moral struggles, and the gravity of choosing between what is right and what is easy.

Get this one on your must read list! Thank you to Celadon and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Shadows is the type of novel you read by the fireplace, clutching your stuffed teddy and jumping every snap of a twig. Alex North creates a spooky, yet realistic suburban neighborhood with characters who you might consider fascinating, but wouldn't want to find at your own front door past sundown. The pacing was excellent, the plot twists were plentiful. The ending, while not stunning, was wholly satisfying. I'd recommend this book to fans of Stephen King and Dean Koontz.

I loved the air of child/ teen psychopathic theme this book when for, and how evil can and does live in even the young. Compared to North's first book, this novel went at a slower speed and didn't have the same level of creepiness the other book had, which I think it needed. Regardless this is a good psychological thriller with good plot twists.

The Shadows, like The Whisper Man, hooked me right from the start. I read it in one sitting. Alex North does such a great job with creepy. I love the subtle "are they supernatural?" touches he incorporates into his storytelling. He does such an excellent job with those *moments* that make you shiver.

This had such an interesting premise and I enjoyed reading how everything played out. I will say that the ending wasn't quite as emotionally satisfying as the ending of The Whisper Man, but overall this was an enjoyable thriller read. (I should also note that both are standalone thrillers, since I keep comparing them.)

Thank you Celadon Books via Netgalley for a free advanced e-galley of the book in exchange for an honest review.

First off, a huge thank you Netgalley and Celadon books for the Advanced Release Copy of The Shadows in exchange for my honest review. This was one of my most anticipated reads for 2020!

I admit that an author's sophomore novel always makes me a little nervous. This is especially true when their debut novel was as spectacular as The Whisper Man. Alex North, did not disappoint! Thie story is an interesting mix of true crime/mystery and horror. Alex North continued to do what he does best which is keep you on the edge of your seat, with every light in the house on while you read. You know that something is coming, but you have no idea when, who/what or how. I can honestly say that I didn't see it coming. Usually I have a pretty good idea of who done it so to speak, but this one got me.

Unfortunately, the finale felt rushed and thrown together. It worked ok, but I felt like it cod have been so much better. After all of the demons that Paul wrestled with throughout the book, it didnt really give him or the reader a lit of closure. Perhaps it was because the first half was just so good. Regardless, there are so many elements that are deserving if our admiration, this should definitely go on your summer reading list!

Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of man? The Shadows do! And now, having finished this wonderfully creepy thriller, so do I.

Perhaps more to the point, the evil lurks in the dreams of man - or specifically in teenage Charlie Crabtree, a bully with a sinister streak who, some 25 years ago, coerced a couple of friends into believing that they had the power to not only control their own dreams, but live in the dreams of the others. Quickly, the situation escalated from bad to much worse; two of the boys, led by Charlie, gruesomely murdered another youngster. One was caught, sentenced and sent to prison, but Charlie escaped and hasn't been seen since.

One of Charlie's original cohorts, Paul Adams, realized that Charlie was up to no good; although he'd stayed with the group to protect his best friend, he turned away not long before the murder that rocked the small community of Gritton Wood. It's close to Featherbank, the setting of the author's first novel, "The Whisper Man" (and if you haven't read that one, hie thee hither to get it immediately; it, too, earned a 5-star rating from me and is one of the best books I've had on my Kindle in a while).

As this one begins, Paul - who was so traumatized by the murder than he left home for college and hasn't returned in 25 years - reluctantly comes back to see his mother (they've kept in touch regularly by phone, but not in person). Her dementia is worsening, and a recent fall at her home led to complications and pending death. Paul's misgivings about returning home already have him on edge, especially since he decides to stay in his childhood home that backs up to a dense wooded area known locally as the "Shadows." But ominous things his mother says, other things that unexpectedly go bump in the night and a discovery in the attic make him eager to turn tail and run. But they also make him curious, especially after he meets police Detective Amanda Beck; turns out she's investigating the murder of a child that bears a striking (pardon the pun) resemblance to the murder of Paul's childhood friend. Is there a copycat killer out there? Or is Charlie still alive and back in business?

The answer comes via an engrossing rest of the story, which includes a few unexpected, and zingy, twists. Of course, my lips are sealed; I'll say only that I read this one almost in one sitting (I just couldn't manage to stay awake to finish what would be another hour, but right after my walk the next morning, I was at it again). In short, it's another highly recommended winner from this very talented author. Thanks again to the publisher, via NetGalley, for providing me with an advance copy to read and review.

*3.5 stars* Alex North's much anticipated follow-up after his debut hit, The Whisper Man, has some high expectations to live up to! Unfortunately, this fell into a sophomore slump category for me. I didn't feel the same tension and anticipation as I did with TWM. It was a little confusing to follow, almost overly so, which made it seem like an attempt to trick the reader, which did result in some surprises, but also a rushed ending. I have to give Alex North credit, he can write about some seriously disturbing topics - kids killing kids, lucid dreaming, just to name a couple.

Thanks to Celadon Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I loved The Whisper Man so I was so excited to get a copy of this one. Unfortunately it just didn't work for me. The story felt disconnected and I ended up giving up on it.