Ive been a big fan of Ashley Audrain since her debut novel The Push, so I was thrilled to receive an ARC for her 2nd novel. I was engaged the entire time, I love the dark topics of Audrains books so far and I can’t wait to read her next.

Seemingly cozy neighborhoods that hide lots of dark secrets? Yes please! If you are looking for a domestic suspense page-turner, I highly recommend this one!

It all starts with a neighborhood party and an unfortunate incident that lands one of the kids in the hospital with life threatening injuries. Four families and endless amount of secrets and not so great decisions.

I loved Audrain’s writing style and her thoughtful exploration of many facets of motherhood! I love stories about humans acting imperfectly and landing themselves into all kinds of trouble. And that ending is definitely impossible to forget. This one easily landed on the list of my favorites!

A huge thank you to Penguin Random House Canada & Viking for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review!

Suburban Secrets and Motherhood

The Whispers revolves around the lives of four women—Whitney, Blair, Rebecca, and Mara—living in a suburban neighbourhood. The story begins with a tragic accident where young Xavier falls out of his bedroom window, leaving him in a coma. This incident triggers a series of revelations and tensions among the women, each grappling with their secrets and struggles. Whitney is a driven career woman with a strained relationship with her son; Blair is a stay-at-home mother overwhelmed by her duties; Rebecca is a doctor facing infertility issues; and Mara is an elderly woman observing the unfolding drama from her vantage point.

The Whispers is a compelling, thought-provoking novel that delves deep into the complexities of motherhood, friendship, and suburban life. Its strengths lie in its rich character development and emotional intensity. However, the frequent shifts in perspective may require a more attentive reading. Despite minor drawbacks, it stands out as a gripping psychological thriller that keeps readers engaged till the end.

I enjoyed The Push by this author but this suburban domestic drama just wasn't for me. I found the pacing to be very slow and I didn't feel the need to pick up the book and read it.

After reading the push by this author, I knew I needed to request to read the whispers as well.
This book was so good, it reminded me so much of big little lies. These woman in this book are so gritty and cause so much drama. You think the book is going to go one way and then it goes a total different way.
And that ending! Wow, just left with me with chills. And I went back and read the last paragraph 3 times. I couldn’t believe what I was reading.

I I loved the way this book was constructed giving you pieces of the puzzle as you go, it’s super engaging but also this book is kind of depressing. This book is dark and provocative. It paints a pretty bleak picture, making it hard to imagine a satisfying outcome. Even when it’s done it doesn’t feel quite like the end.

I was given an ARC of this book and my opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this one! We read it together for book club, and there was SO much to unpack. What a cast of characters and so many twists.

I have decided that Ashley Audrain is not really for me. I felt like this book had a lot of promise and it was ok, but fell flat for me in the end. As a mom, I was looking forward to reading The Whispers based on the descriptions. While I appreciate that the characters were flawed, which to me is a more realistic, I never really felt connected to any of them. Some of the descriptions did ring very true to me, including the one about what Blair did on the plane to care for their daughter versus what her husband did. Overall I felt like the characters were kind of like caricatures of different types of moms (eg. the self sacrificing put the kids first mom, the career focused mom who doesn’t seem to really want to be a mom, the woman yearning to be a mom etc.) that were a little too extreme to feel realistic to me. I think the portrayal of infertility was well done (based on conversations that I’ve had with friends) but the book should come with trigger warnings, particularly due to its graphic depiction of miscarriage. To be honest, the epilogues for both of Audrain’s books have felt more like shock value endings and I could have done without them. I actually laughed when I read it. With that said, I know there are people who love them so I think I’m just not the right audience for her books. Thanks to NetGalley for the free arc of this book.

Review posted on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5672279534

The Whispers is such an intense read. I needed to step away at times but I appreciated this one for the women’s point of view and the tension. Audrain has written another book that’s an absolute wild ride!

"The moments that are trying to tell you something isn’t quite right here. The problem is some women aren’t listening to what their lives are trying to tell them.” - The Whispers, Ashley Audrain

"The Whispers" by Ashley Audrain offers a compelling and thought-provoking exploration of motherhood, friendship, and the secrets we keep. Audrain's writing is sharp and the story grips you from the start, weaving through the lives of its complex characters with an air of mystery and tension.

Audrain's captivating writing pulled me right into story, where every character seems to be hiding something.
The book takes its time diving into each characters' backstory, making the plot more engaging. I didn't find any of the characters to be likeable, but I don't think that affected the book for me in any way.

The book felt like a slow burn with the pace picking up towards the end. Audrain has a talent for writing family drama that weaves and intertwines throughout the neighbourhood, taking grasp of each character we had the chance to meet. I enjoyed the fact that I wasn't able to predict the ending, making the mystery of the story drawn out until its proper reveal.

There were times throughout the book when I wished I could switch POV's as there were some characters I preferred over others. I guess that is to be expected when a story has a larger cast. Overall, I found the book to be quite enjoyable, and I do intend to pick up more from this author in the future.

Ever since reading Ashley Audrain's debut novel The Push, I was looking forward to what she would write next. I will say that I enjoyed The Push more but I think The Whispers has something to offer too. This is really about 4 families, well 4 mothers might be more accurate. The themes of mothers and motherhood is very strong in this one. The book begins with a scene of these families at a neighbourhood bar b q. This is how the main characters are introduced and the tension is set. As the reader we are told what The Whispers are - those things that tell you something isn’t right and that’s how you feel as a reader. There is a tension, but you don’t know what it is. One of the kids falls out of a window at the bar b q but we don’t know how it happens. The rest of the story is learning about these different families and finding out the truth. There is a real emphasis on being the perfect mother, the guilt mother’s feel and what it’s like to want to be a mother and not being able to. I think the reason I didn’t like this one quite as much is that the twist or when the truth comes out, it didn’t have the same gut punch as The Push, but like I said, it’s still worth a read for sure and I think I will continue to read more from this author.

“the sacrifice of motherhood….changes who you are in the world.”

Four women, all living in the same upscale neighbourhood, all grappling with their deceits and secrets. They are secretive and jealous of each other. But when one of their young sons’ falls through a second story window during a neighbourhood backyard party, all hell breaks loose. Tensions rise as the boy lies in hospital fighting for his life, while his mother refuses to speak to anyone regarding the incident.
These women are complicated, and not overly likeable, but they’re definitely fascinating to watch as their secrets come to light.
Loved this book.

I really enjoyed this book - I couldn’t put it down!
The narrator for the audiobook was great, the plot was twisting and interesting, and I related to the motherhood aspects exploited in the book. Personally, I thought it was even better than Audrain’s other book “The Push”. Would highly recommend as a summer read!

This is not a book for the faint of heart. It is about what I’ve always believed…that people on your street go about their lives hiding their lives of quiet desperation. It was extremely readable. I gobbled it up in three days.

Thank you Netgalley,
Penguin Random House Canada | Viking and Ashley Audrain for free e-ARC of The Whispers in return of my honest review.

In "The Whispers," author delves into the lives of a group of well-to-do neighbors as they navigate a series of unsettling events following a tragic incident involving a young boy. The story unfolds over a tense three days, exploring themes of envy, women's friendships, desire, and the inner intuitions that often go unheeded.

The novel paints a vivid picture of the facade of perfection that many people strive to maintain, only to have it shattered by unforeseen circumstances. The characters are complex and flawed, grappling with their own insecurities and secrets as they come to terms with the events that unfold. Perks skillfully weaves together multiple perspectives, providing a nuanced exploration of the dynamics between the characters and the impact of their choices on the unfolding drama.

The tension in the narrative is palpable, keeping readers on edge as they uncover the layers of deception and betrayal that underpin the seemingly idyllic neighborhood. The author's ability to capture the intricacies of human relationships and the dark undercurrents that exist beneath the surface adds depth to the story, making it a compelling and thought-provoking read.

While some readers may find the pacing of the novel slow at times, the payoff comes in the form of a chilling and satisfying conclusion that leaves a lasting impact. "The Whispers" showcases Ashley Audrain as a talented storyteller with a keen insight into the complexities of human nature, making it a worthwhile addition to the psychological thriller genre

This one should have been called 'The Mothers'! Audrain lived up to her debut & this was another fast paced intense drama.

“She’d once heard them described as the whispers—the moments that are trying to tell you something isn’t right here.”

Have you ever had that feeling? You know the one. The one that tells you that something just isn’t right. Déjà Vu? Sixth Sense? The little hairs on the back of your neck standing up? Author Ashley Audrain calls them The Whispers. And, like Audrain, I wholeheartedly believe that we should listen and heed those warnings. Always.

“The problem is that some women aren’t listening to what their lives are trying to tell them. They don’t hear the whispers until they’re looking back with hindsight. Feeling blindsided. Desperate to see the truth for what it is.”

This was my first read from Audrain but it won’t be my last. Full of scandal, mystery, and truly unlikeable characters, ‘The Whispers’ was a fun, quick read that kept me invested throughout. The writing was fantastic and frantic, perfectly accentuating the heightened anxiety that continued to build until the very last, brilliant line.

“All the whispers she so masterfully ignores, they are screaming at her now…”

2 "voyeuristic, gratuitous, clunky" stars !!

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and Viking books for providing me with an ecopy. This was released June 2023. I am providing an honest review.

What this might and could have been: An insightful look at privileged womens' dark psychologies with a dive into their experience of sexuality, marriage, work and motherhood. A dark drama with psychological and sociological meaning.

What this is Instead: A rather maudlin and sensationalistic and schlocky and rather disgusting soap opera of some horrid women and their paper doll husbands. Fuckin Disappointing !

What a fantastic narrative that centres around themes of motherhood. It was fast-paced and kept me reading right until the mind-bending end.

Confusing at times, but i understand why everyone seems to love this author and her stories. Despite being confusing sometimes. I enjoyed the book!