I love Linwood Barclay books and I have read them all. Sadly, I did not enjoy The Whistle as much as I was hoping. This is a different, more supernatural style for him. The book was way too long and the sliver with the whole train as the link to the evil by Mr Nabler was hard to grasp. The Vermont town story flashback (“Harry”) of the book was engrossing, but then it went off the rails (sorry, couldn’t resist!). I do appreciate the author’s acknowledgments to first and foremost thank the reader for going down a different path with him. This different path was not for this Linwood Barclay reader. 2.5 stars for me. Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC. All opinions are my own. Publication Date: May 20, 2025

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for an ARC of Whistle.

If you told me I would be reading a book about a cursed toy train I would have said "absolutely not" and I'm also a firm believer that a book rarely needs to be longer than 400 pages, but I absolutely devoured this book. I'm already certain this will be included in my favorite books of the year. Chilling, spooky, haunting, and SO DAMN GOOD! Pick this one up as soon as you get the chance!

5 big stars!

This book was fabulous and gave me Needful Things vibes. There are dual timelines, and it worked perfectly to unfold a horrific, scary story. In 2001 a shop opened selling trains sets. The storekeeper is absolutely evil, and you are given tidbits of this throughout. Then you have present day where a mother and her son move to upstate Vermont near where the train store had been, in order to leave behind a tragic life. The son finds a train set and that is when weird and strange things begin to happen. I loved the dual timelines and how this story slowly unfolded. It was super creepy and disturbing, which was fabulous.

Whistle by Linwood Barclay is a gripping supernatural horror that checks all my favorite horror boxes—supernatural elements, eerie toys, mysterious forces, and a compelling protagonist. The story follows Annie Blunt, who, after experiencing a series of personal tragedies, seeks solace with her son, Charlie, to a quaint town in upstate New York for the summer. Their quest for a fresh start takes a sinister turn when Charlie discovers a mysterious train set in a locked shed on their property.
Barclay masterfully builds tension, delivering gruesome twists and genuinely chilling moments that keep you on edge. The seamless blend of timelines from 2001 and the present enhances the narrative's depth, unraveling a mystery that's both unsettling and impossible to put down.
This novel marks Barclay's first foray into the horror genre, and it's an incredibly promising debut. I will be on the look-out for more horror from him in the future.
I received an advance reader copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

I have to say, I think reading about a haunted toy train is a first for me. Kudos to Linwood Barclay for what appears to be an original premise.

This was really well written. I thought the pacing was great. Sometimes books will start strong, taper off in the middle, and then pick back up towards the end but this book was steady throughout.

I also thought the dual timelines were handled well. One timeline being the before and another being the after. They tied together nicely.

This is now my second book that I've read by this author and I'm impressed enough with his writing that I'll continue reading his work. From what I've seen, this appears to be his first supernatural thriller compared to his normal crime thrillers.

I definitely recommend this, especially if you're looking for a more unique concept. Fans of Stephen King should also enjoy this. It felt reminiscent of King to me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc. All opinions are my own.

awesome horror. how on earth would toy trains be a main horror threat? surprisingly, very effectively. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

What a book! Annie and her son move to a small town to get away after a rough year. Her husband died in a hit and run accident and then a child read her book and thought he could fly. Behind the house is a locked shed Charlie breaks in and finds a train set. This is no ordinary train set - strange things beginning happening. What kind of nightmare have they entered?

Trust me, Annie has had a harrowing year. From her husband being killed in a horrific hit-and-run accident to a scandal involving a book she's writing, things have really derailed in her life.

To get a new path and a fresh start, Annie decides to venture out and start anew. Meet Charlie, who finds an abandoned train set in a locked shed on their property. Is the shed being locked an omen of things to come? Strange and eerie things start happening during the night....like train sounds. Normal, you'd say? But there isn't a train around for miles, except for the forgotten model train. Can Annie get off this deranged train ride before it is too late, for her and everyone else? Read this book to find out, but only if you dare.

This train is different, special.....

Chuffchuffchuffchuff

Stranger than strange things begin to happen when Mr Choo and his special train sets find their way to homes around the area where he set up shop. Choo-Choo's Trains arrives in the town of Lucknow, which will never be quite the same!

Annie Blunt, a successful author/illustrator of children's books decides her and her son, Charlie need a break and move Upstate for the summer. Her plan is for rest and relaxation from the city, but when bizarre, disturbing things start happening, Annie questions both her sanity and her choices.

Several times I gasp out loud, "Oh, nooooo"...... What the hec is happening???
I really liked Chief Cook. He was desperately trying to figure out the whistles in the night, the creepy crawlies, the missing people. But will he be able too??? I couldn't put this down until the end.

This one def gave me a Stephen King/ Creepy Supernatural movie vibe. The author goes down a horror-ish road that gets pretty dark at times. I'm not a huge horror reader, but I was on the edge of the cliff throughout the entire novel and flew through it!

I was given this book by NetGalley for an honest review-
What a book! Annie and her son move to a small town to get away after a rough year. Her husband died in a hit and run accident. Also a book she illustrated caused a little boy to think he could fly. Charlie breaks the lock on the back shed and finds a toy train set but this train is different. She hears train whistles and strange things start happening. What kind of nightmare has she visited?

Successful children’s author Annie Blunt, reeling from the death of her husband, decides to spend the summer in an upstate NY house with her young son Charlie to help her recover. But when Charlie finds an old model train set in a shed on the property, strange things start to happen at the house. Author Linwood Barclay takes a swing at the horror genre, and knocks it out the park with Whistle, a creepy, thoroughly unsettling story that gives off strong Stephen King vibes. The plot unfolds in dual timelines, and the bizarre and terrifying events revolve around the toy train sets, and the reader can feel the evil presence lurking on each page. Don’t want to spoil the fun by revealing too much of the plot, but suffice to say this is one spine-tingling story that will have you hooked from the first chapter. And on a personal note, the old Lionel trains boxed up in my attic will stay put. Five stars for this one! I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Whistle by Linwood Barclay. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for this advanced reader copy. Previous works by this author have been reliable and well-written mysteries. Whistle mixes it up, venturing into more of a supernatural thriller. Bestselling children’s book author Annie has had a truly horrible time of it lately. Her editor arranges for an upstate NY summer rental, something both Annie and her young son who are both grieving need. Charlie finds a vintage train set in a locked shed, and soon he is obsessed. Annie is thrilled to see Charlie engrossed in the trains, but she soon starts noticing some odd events. Why does she hear train whistles in the middle of the night? There aren’t any active train lines nearby. The novel weaves in a 2001 plot line, involving a weird train store owner and the Vermont town where terrifying things are happening. I love Stephen King’s writing style, and I would have been willing to bet this book was written by King. A solid first effort for the supernatural genre!

In the acknowledgements to Linwood Barclay’s Whistle, the author thanks his readers for following him down “a different path.” He was not joking. Whistle is the story of Annie Blunt and her son Charlie. Annie is a successful children's book author and illustrator whose life has been upended by multiple tragedies, one linked to her writing and one very personal. She decides to take Charlie out of New York City and rent a house in upstate New York for a few months to try to help them move forward. The house has a troubled history, though, that starts affecting Annie and Charlie. When Charlie finds an old train set on the property, he’s thrilled because he’s bored and missing his late father. Turns out the train set also has a history, tracing back to a small town in Vermont. We learn what happened in Lucknow, Vermont through flashbacks from the point of view of the local police chief and the quirky old man who owns a store selling model trains. The old man is not what he seems, and the trains he sells are definitely not what they seem.

Years after a tragedy that leveled Lucknow and killed its residents, the forces that caused it have made their way to Annie and Charlie’s house via the train set. Annie has to fight to save her son and herself from this evil by being cunning and strong. This is very much not a typical Barclay mystery but it was nonetheless mysterious and frightening. I hope it receives the accolades it deserves, because in those same acknowledgements, he hints that he may have more in store for us on the “different path.” I’m eager to walk it with him.

Linwood Barclay’s “Whistle”

Let me start off by saying I fell in love with his books years ago. Every year, I simply cannot wait for a new book to drop. When I realized “Whistle” was a supernatural thriller, I was nervous. It’s simply not my genre of book. However, it is Linwood Barclay so here we go.
Pay attention. I feel like everything is important if you’re like me and you’re trying to figure it out as you read. I like to have it solved by the epilogue. The characters in “Whistle” are relatable and you want to know how their story ends. We start off in New York City then head to Upstate New York and work our way back to a small town in Vermont called Lucknow (23 years back).
People are disappearing. Animals are disappearing. Train sounds when there is no train nearby. The irony is that a toy trainset is always the common denominator and a tingling feeling when hands come in contact. All aboard. The suspense drove me crazy. Expect to start believing the unbelievable and find out the mystery behind Choo-Choo trains.

I usually love Lynnwood Barclays books, but I think that the supernatural aspect of this one just did not hit for me and just I never found myself thrilled in the story.

I do have to say I love his writing and I will definitely 100% read future books

I think that the characters in the book worked pretty well and there was a good twist around the middle.

Linwood Barclay has a way of making the reader feel various stages of anxiety, grief, and tension. Whistle was no different! It was more of a fast paced thriller than a horror book for me but it was a wonderful read. It's a dark, creepy and atmospheric novel that is sort of reminiscent of old school Stephen King.

I recently read Whistle by Linwood Barclay. This is the story of Annie and her son Charlie. To get a break from their lives in Manhattan, Annie and her son take a vacation renting a house in upstate New York. While there, Charlie finds an old train set of which he becomes unusually fond. The vacation seems to be a good thing, until odd things begin happening. Unconventional neighbors behaving strangely, real train sounds coming from a train line not used in years, just for starters. There are lots more events I won't spoil for you. The reader also follows an earlier timeline in a different town. In this time period, we meet lots of characters, some briefly, as odd things are happening here too, all seemingly connected to model trains.

Whistle, while most definitely a horror book, is also quite the thriller. It is very fast paced, with most chapters ending on a cliff hanger or major revelation. Despite being fairly long this pacing makes it fly by, with pages turning quickly. Although there are plenty of characters in this story, by necessity, it is not overwhelming. Several characters are stand outs and will have you cheering for them. Entertaining from beginning to end, a very fun read.

For the record, my husband who has had model trains his whole life is now in trouble. Trains are expensive and cause us to have to purchase larger houses than necessary to accommodate his layout. Now I know they are evil (as suspected). Rest assured, I will be purchasing many copies to hand out to hubby's train friends, as a cautionary tale. I will be taking my husband's trains to the dump, have them shredded, then compacted, then put in a deep ocean trench. Do you think anyone would mind if we filled the Atlantic Ocean in with concrete?

Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow Publishing for the advanced copy and warning!

Linwood Barclay has written a modern day horror masterpiece in “Whistle,” reminiscent of Stephen King’s “Christine” with one huge difference.
Barclay’s characters will stay with you long after you’ve finished reading.
I hate to give you any details which might contain spoilers, so let me just say that this is as much a story about love lost, the struggle to find your way forward after the trauma, and the strength found when confronted with the possibility of losing everything and everyone left in your life as it is a story of possessed toy trains.
All aboard the 5 star read for Mr. Choo is waiting.

A young mom and author, Annie Blunts, decides after a long, depressing, grief stricken year to take a while and step back from the bustle of the city life and her job. She takes her son, Charlie, to a small town in upstate New York. Everything is going smooth until Charlie opens up a shed in the backyard and finds a Tide Box with toy trains inside. Annie starts to hear strange noises, and see things that aren't there. She thought this would be a vacation of relaxation but little did she know her world was being turn upside down again.
2.5/5 I really tried to like this book. At first the mystery draws you in but then it seemed to drag on. The plot did jump perspective to Harry, the Police Chief of Lucknow, and what went on with the town before Annie and Charlie step foot in it. I thought Harry's part could have been shorter. I think some of the dialogue could be scaled back or maybe not so many accidental deaths. I struggled to finish this book. The ending didn't steal the show.

Whistle by Linwood Barclays is a supernatural thriller about a woman and her young son moving to a new town for a fresh start only to be haunted by disturbing events.

I’ve always loved Linwood Barclay’s novels and this one was no exception. This novel blends two time periods into a terrifying story of trains possessed by a strange man.

This is a great page Turner that is so scary and extremely creepy.