I got this audiobook through NetGalley last year. Now that’s it’s the spooky season, I was finally ready to listen.

This is about Paul Adams. We are following him as a 40 year old man and a man about 25 years in the past… we see him go to a new school and he and his best friend James get involved with two other boys who believe in lucid dreaming.

When a tragedy happens, Paul’s life changes. He leaves town for college and doesn’t come back until he learns his mother is dying. That’s when the copycat murders start.

It was quite spooky at times and a twist really got me. Overall, I just liked it okay. It was like a 2.5.

Found this to be a very eerie and unique story. North does a fantastic job of creating suspense and making you second guess who you can trust. The ending was unpredictable which makes it an instant five star read for me.

I love Alex North’s writing style so much and this eerie novel is no different. There’s always an unpredictable twist, leaving me guessing until the very end! Way to go, 5 stars!!

Enjoyable thriller for fans of Alex North. This is my second by this author and I thought this was great. Thank you Netgalley and publisher for the opportunity to read/review.

I feel like this book could've been executed a lot better than what it was. I was really hoping to connect to the characters while I was reading but, I honestly couldn't connect to even one of the characters. I felt like this book had so much more potential however, the plot really didn't go anywhere until the very end of the book and then my reaction was like oh wow that's all that it led up to.

Giving this three stars because I was interested in the story but I did not like the audio narration and had to switch over the a physical copy instead.

This story absolutely pulled me in. I thoroughly enjoyed this as an audiobook. The narrator really adds to the experience. I love North's writing and how he sets up the plot, helps you see the story, and then twists it. He is definitely an auto-buy author for me.

This was a good audiobook. It really built up the dread of what's to come in the story. I would listen to other books done by this narrator.

I didn't really like this, sadly. It meandered a bit too much for me for being a thriller and the characters weren't as compelling as i wanted them to be.

This was a very spooky read and I really enjoyed listening to it! I can't wait to read more from Alex!

Great level of suspense all throughout the book!!! I’m a huge fan of this author and I’m excited to read just about anything he writes. The twists and turns kept me engaged and I was satisfied with the way it ended.

Years after a gruesome murder plagued his town, Paul returns to the village to say goodbye to his mother and organize her things. But he finds out quickly that the wasn't the only person who couldn't leave the memories of Charlie and Billy behind.

Set in the same world as The Whisper Man, the Shadows is a spine tingling thriller that keeps you on your toes. Questions of supernatural forces vs hidden secrets are riddled throughout the book. I had a hard time taking breaks from the audio and found myself wanting to know what happened next. Once again, Alex North writes a vivid, extraordinary narrative that leaves you guessing what happens next.

I really wanted to listen to this book by a favorite author! Unfortunately, when audiobooks first came to NetGalley, I wasn't sure how it all worked and I didn't download this audiobook prior to the archive date, so I couldn't listen to it! I've given this author 5 stars on all other books I have read by him..

"You knew a teenager like Charlie Crabtree. A dark imagination, a sinister smile--always on the outside of the group. Some part of you suspected he might be capable of doing something awful. Twenty-five years ago, Crabtree did just that, committing a murder so shocking that it’s attracted that strange kind of infamy that only exists on the darkest corners of the internet--and inspired more than one copycat.
Paul Adams remembers the case all too well: Crabtree--and his victim--were Paul’s friends. Paul has slowly put his life back together. But now his mother, old and senile, has taken a turn for the worse. Though every inch of him resists, it is time to come home.
It's not long before things start to go wrong. Reading the news, Paul learns another copycat has struck. His mother is distressed, insistent that there's something in the house. And someone is following him. Which reminds him of the most unsettling thing about that awful day twenty-five years ago.
It wasn't just the murder.
It was the fact that afterward, Charlie Crabtree was never seen again.." - Goodreads 😬🤷🏼‍♀️🩸

I did not love this one. I was hoping for a page turner and just felt pretty ....meh... about it... While some parts were creepy, I found myself bored through the majority. I know a lot of people loved this one, but I just couldn't. ⭐⭐

3.75 rating
It's a thriller right on the boarder with horror, just enough to be out of my comfort zone (I don't read horror, so I don't have a shelf for the genre), but not far enough into the horror that I cannot stomach it.
The first half was really slow, but the second half really drew me and bumped up the rating for me.
I really recommend it for readers interested in mild level horror, and being okay with a slower paced book.

This was one of my highly anticipated reads for the year and I’ll have to say that this psychological thriller sure didn’t disappoint! I was totally hooked with this in-depth storyline that was filled with creepiness, suspense, and twists and turns along the way. Twenty five years ago, Charlie Crabtree committed a shocking murder of one of his classmates, but then was never seen again. All of these years later, his heinous crime has inspired online supporters and copycat killers along the way, with people still trying to solve the mystery of where he could have vanished to. Paul Adams is all too familiar with the Charlie Crabtree case as one of his friends was the victim. He moves out of town to put this all behind him, trying to block out all of the painful memories left behind. Twenty five years later, Paul returns after news of his mother’s failing health, and it’s not long before things start going wrong. He learns of another copycat murder that took place and he feels nothing but unease being back in town and at his mothers house and he has the feeling someone has been watching him. Everything is bringing back the memories of his friends tragic murder and the mystery still remains on what ever happened to Charlie Crabtree?! This was definitely a page turner for me all while throwing me through some loops along the way, guessing up until the end.

DNF'd after 15%

I personally was not engaged by this audio narration nor the story. I found myself zoning out instead of focusing on what was being told.

I love a good creepy book and even more importantly I love knowing of a good author to suggest to my patrons. I haven't read his other book but I plan to after this. I loved the super creepy vibes and how it felt very much like a stephen king novel. Was everything wrapped up? no but I enjoyed the journey to get there so I'm not mad about it.

I finally got to listen to the audiobook of the Shadows. It was long overdue because I do make the mistake of not downloading my galleys right away and then the book just pops into my peripheral vision and I go like, " Hey, I was meant to read/listen to this one." and that's when I know it's a sign and I hop straight on the download button like an angry cat.

Enough with my drivel, let's get to the book.
Let me start by saying that I'm definitely going to read the Whisper Man.
I know. It's the oddest start for a review of a different book by the same author. But hear me out! I have my reasons.

First, Alex North's writing is faultless. The ambience his words inspire, the cadence of his sentences, all of it sent a chill down my spine.
Second, this book has some serious Stephen King vibes.
Third, it's hard to pinpoint exactly the things you liked and disliked about the story in audio form. Although the narrators were as faultless as North's writing.
Fourth, listening to the story, I'm not sure the plot was as compact, as watertight, as it should have been. There were points at which I felt lost. I was more like "Did I miss something?"
Lastly, I'm definitely going to read the Whisper Man. Again. For emphasis.

Many thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity I did not latch on fast enough.

I love the ideas of lucid dreams and I wish there were more books that used that troupe. If it’s done right, it is so good, and this book did it right.

This book takes place in 2 different time lines and from 2 different perspectives. In the current day, Detective Amanda Beck is investigating a murder of a child that is very similar to a murder 25 years ago in the town of Gritten. The second timeline is 25 years ago and follows Paul, one of the children that were suspected of the murder of their classmate. I liked that we got to hear from Paul both in the past and in the current day.

This book had me hooked from the very beginning and I read/listened to it in 24 hours! The ending was a little far fetched and there were a few things left unanswered for me, but other then that it was a very enjoyable read.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.