This book was really good, a super creepy serial killer murder mystery spanning 20 years. Tom and his young son Jake move into a new house, an odd sort of mysterious place in a new town about a year after his wife dies. Jake is clearly affected by the loss of his mother, a quiet somber kid who talks to himself and has imaginary friends. A child his age has recently been kidnapped and the police force is looking for the boy, including a seasoned detective who seems to think the disappearance might compare to many kidnappings twenty years ago by a man who currently imprisoned dubbed & The Whisper Man by the press. The writing, characters and plot in this story are all wonderful and have an amazing depth to them. The only problem I had was I thought that then end was a little rushed, how the current kidnapper was found and apprehended, but in general, I loved the entire book. Thanks so much to NG for the ARC! Definitely will look for more from this author!!! Awesome thriller!!!

This isn't your normal missing child procedural novel. It's also a story about family, it's a mystery within a mystery. There is surprise after surprise.

This checks all my boxes of a good book.
Was I drawn into the story? Check
Did I love the characters? Check
Did I find surprises within the book? Check
Could I visualize the story, the characters and the setting? Check

Will I look for other books by this author? Check, check, check..

Thank you to net galley for an advanced copy. This didn't affect my review.

#thewhisperman

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.

And then Jake begins acting strangely. He hears a whispering at his window...

OMG!! This one wild, creepy brilliant book. I have not read anything that has given me goosebumps like this. I even looked over my shoulder a few times. WELL DONE Mr.North.

"If you leave a door half open, soon you'll hear the whispers spoken.
If you play outside alone, soon you won't be going home.
If your windows left unlatched, you'll hear him tapping at the glass.
If you're lonely, sad, and blue the Whisper Man will come for you."


Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy for review.

A very good thriller with plenty of creepiness. Some of the incidents and actions of certain characters early in the book seem disjointed, which adds to the creepiness factor, but the author does a good job of tying everything together. The idea of the "Whisper Man", this mysterious figure that will harm you or kill you if you do not take certain precautions, can be found in other books (or movies) under different names, but the author has included enough twists and surprises, and has crafted the creepy elements quite well, so the idea feels fresh. The ending is particularly good.

If you like thrillers or suspense novels or tv shows like Criminal Minds with a good creepiness factor, The Whisper Man is a good choice.

I received a copy of the e-book via NetGalley.

Now that’s a great title for a serial killer novel. It’s a great moniker for a serial killer, although such things tend to make them memorable and in the quiet village of Featherbank everyone would probably prefer to forget the fact that two decades ago an evil man stole and killed their young children. And it would have remained mostly forgotten, except by the detective who found the bodies and the killer, now quietly haunted by the events, except that young boys are going missing once again. If this was a movie trailer, you’d hear something along the lines of…and this time it’s personal. But in a way it’s always been personal for this is very much the story of fathers and sons, the ways sins of fathers color the lives of sons and so on. In fact, there are three intersecting father/son stories within these pages and they are so well rendered, they manage to elevate the book right above the prototypical serial killer procedural into something genuinely emotionally engaging and therefore darkly thrilling. Because, obviously this is very much a dark psychological thriller. There is also plenty of suspense, but structurally it’s a procedural, wherein the reader goes along for the ride, discovering clues and eventually solving crimes along with the characters. That’s one way to guarantee you won’t figure out the ending early on, but then again I sort of like puzzling those things out. In fact, procedurals are far from my preferred sort of thrillers, but this one just worked so well. It draws you right in with its cast of flawed compelling characters, chief amongst them a recent widower and a father of a (just the right side of precocious) 7 year old boy, who moves to Featherbank for a fresh start, following a sudden death of his wife. His struggles with fatherhood (and writing for that matter) make him all the easier to care about as he finds himself in a sort of every parent’s nightmare. The book staying in theme with its title delivers the creepy elements very nicely. In mood and tone both it whispers until it screams. It’s dark, moody, sad, but also exciting and exhilarating. It twists and turns and challenges and scares and surprises. Basically…it does what it’s supposed to. Most auspicious debut indeed. Very entertaining read, a proper character driven suspense thriller. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.

Thanks to Netgalley and Celadon books for providing the ARC of this mystery/thriller title. I enjoyed the book and basically didn’t put it down once I started it had a few coincidences that I found a little too convenient, but the plot kept moving along at a good pace. I enjoyed the examination of the father-son relationship between the two main characters. Overall I would recommend this book.

Thanks to Alex North, Celadon Books, and Netgalley for providing me with a digital advance copy of The Whisper Man. This is an excellent thriller — a multi-generational story of a small town trying to catch a serial killer, but also a study of father-son relationships and the ways in which those relationships dictate the future of both the parents and the children. Well done, engaging read. Highly recommend!

Extremely impressive debut novel. Interesting, enjoyable, and creepy characters. A frightening storyline and a small town make for a fast (anxiety-ridden) read. A great time!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41940236

Geez, rereading that synopsis gives me chills all over again. This was such a compelling and disturbing read.

I. Absolutely. Loved. It.

The story was poignant and dark. The mystery completely terrifying. I love it when a book can scare me, it proves the author is doing something right. This book had all the elements of a thriller book and it was executed beautifully.

“The truth is that most strangers are decent people, whereas the home can be the most dangerous place of all. The man stalking six-year-old Neil Spencer across the waste ground understood that only too well.”

The characters were complex and real. The twists very shocking and chilling. Even the ending while satisfying was very unsettling. If you like dark stories, this book is definitely for you. I cannot rave enough how much I loved this book. I finished it in one sitting, I was utterly captivated by it.

I’d like to thank NetGalley and Celadon Books for my ARC.

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.



Thank you to net galley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book

"If you leave a door half open, soon you'll hear the whispers spoken.
If you play outside alone, soon you won't be going home.
If your windows left unlatched, you'll hear him tapping at the glass.
If you're lonely, sad, and blue the Whisper Man will come for you."

This is an excellent book with some creepy moments that will give you chills and the fact that this is a debut makes this even more impressive.

The Whisper Man struck 20 years ago in the quaint town of Featherbank when boys began going missing only to be found mutilated within the home of Frank Carter. DI Pete Willis helped to put him away all those years ago but the fact that one child was never found has haunted Pete since.

Now another boy has gone missing having heard whispers in the night.....

DI Amanda Beck is in charge of the investigation and calls on Pete for his help and assistance. For Pete this case is redemption for the guilt he has felt all these years. They are determined to find this boy and capture his kidnapper before it's too late.

Recently widowed, Tom Kennedy, and his adorable yet quirky 6 year old son, Jake, have just moved to Featherbank to make a fresh start for themselves. Tom has been struggling with the death of his wife, Rebecca, and can't seem to connect with his son the way his wife once used to. When Jake begins struggling at school, talking to himself, and claiming to hear whispers in the night Tom is at a loss as to what to do.

Then the unthinkable happens....but you'll have to read it to find out what!

This book is going to be a huge success for this author and it will be well deserved. Keep an eye out for this one come August. I promise you won't be disappointed! 4 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley & Celadon Books for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This electric, atmospheric tale of a shattered family haunted by the legacy of a serial killer straddles the line between thriller and horror and is destined to be a breakout hit in 2019. A widowed father and young son move into a small community, looking for a fresh start. However, their house was once occupied by a local called the Whisper Man, who would stand outside windows and patiently groom young children into his web. Even though he is currently in prison, the legend persists, and soon the young boy is talking to imaginary friends and hearing whispers outside his own window, and the investigation reopens and tears at the community. Writer Alex North excels at the interior lives of the characters, making the reader feel the trauma of the father and the isolation of the child, and his almost intimate writing style elevates this to one of the better and more inventive thrillers of the year. This one will stick with you.

Dark, creepy, disturbing, and so so good!

Everything worked perfectly in this novel: atmosphere, plot, pacing, characters. It's a great combination of urban myth and true crime, as well as an emotional look into the father/son relationship and people's various reactions to grief. I am so impressed with this debut and can't wait to see what Alex North writes next!

Unsettling and creepy at times, this is a story told from multiple points of view about the search for a missing child and his kidnapper. A father and son move to a new town after the kidnapping and the young son knows things he shouldn't. How does Jake know these things? Who is he talking to and is their house haunted?

If you leave a door half open soon you’ll hear the whispers spoken.

That's all it took to send my stomach dropping and chills running down my spine. Partially open doors are my biggest phobia. I can't sleep in a room with a partially open closet or bathroom door. That one line scared the crap out of me and I did stop stop reading THE WHISPER MAN until the last page was turned.

This was an amazing debut thriller. The plotting is superb. The story both shocking and sad. I envy you who haven't read this yet, this book can be the next one you will read.

Coming in August from Celadon Books.  You can preorder it from your favorite bookseller.  Here's a link to Amazon.com.

This is a solid example of a psychological thriller (something I'm finding to be true of this publisher, as well). It wasn't quite what I expected, but there was definitely a creep factor to it. (You may even think you're hearing whispers while reading it!) The characters were interesting and well developed. Alternating points of view add to the depth and detailing of the story. It's a relatively easy, quick read with some twists to keep the reader guessing. It's probably best not to read this late at night, unless you want this stuck in your head: “If you leave a door half-open, soon you'll hear the whispers spoken…”

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy, but I wasn't required to leave a positive review.

Are you into suspense and serial killers? Do you stay up watching reruns of crime dramas? This is an excellent thriller that will give you chills and keep you on your toes. Totally captivating read!

The best book I have read in awhile!!!
Seriously this book will give you chills. I will read more books by Alex North!!

I just finished reading this fantastic psychological thriller and I am absolutely in love with it! I am a huge fan of reading about Serial Killers, watching the tv show Criminal Minds, and the book series Butterfly Garden by Dot Hutchinson. I have to say, The Whisper Man by Alex North is right up there with those things for me. The Whisper Man exceeded my expectations for a story about crime fiction with serial killers. I definitely give this book a 5/5 star rating!!

A father and son are caught in the crosshairs of an investigation to catch a serial killer preying on a small town. Until Frank Carter was caught, he was nicknamed “The Whisper Man” because he would lure his victims out by whispering at their windows at night. Tom Kennedy and his son Jake have just settled into this new small town for a fresh start after the passing of Rebecca, wife and mother. A boy in the town has just vanished, and the circumstances are quite unsettling as they highly resemble Frank Carter’s crimes. Then, Jake starts hearing whispering at his window…..

This book definitely had the creep factor turned on high! I would lay in bed reading it at night and I just couldn’t do it for long without having a light on. I swear I’m not a chicken!! The writing was phenomenal and everything flowed so well. I enjoyed that a few of the chapters were written in Jake’s perspective as you got more invested in the story. Starting out I would get a little confused between Tom and Pete’s narrations, but soon settled into being able to easily differentiate between the two. I felt that The Whisper Man was a very well thought out, well structured psychological thriller. To me, anytime children are involved, and the slightly supernatural elements are used, it’s hard not to have that feeling of fear that feeds to the reader. I also felt that the familial connection and resolution of past issues between Pete and Tom added something extra to the book. A happiness among all the dark and scary.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good Psychological Thriller, or likes reading about serial killers (real or fake), as this book truly will not disappoint! Keep an eye out for The Whisper Man by Alex North as it releases in August 2019. Thank you Celadon Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC, it was truly a pleasure! Thank you to Alex North for writing such an amazing book, it was truly a wild adventure.

This was an easy read and kept you guessing all along. I wasn't sure exactly where the story was going until close to the end and I was surprised. I will definitely read this author's other works.