“If you leave a door half open,soon you’ll hear the whispers spoken” well this sets the scene for a fabulously creepy read and there was I sitting reading in bed late at night and glancing at MY half open door thinking if I hear a goddam whisper then all the lights go on !! It’s a really excellent read and what I liked about it most was how it explored the feelings and emotions of the characters so much, yes it’s a mystery thriller but it is also so much more and so well written that you find yourself becoming totally involved in what is a very addictive story. The whisper man, now there is a name that sends shivers down your spine, is he back or .... well I won’t say more as it would spoil the book so don’t just think this is another run of the mill serial killer thriller, it isn’t it’s much better than that, compulsive and a thrill of a ride it’s a brilliant read and I look forward to reading more from the ultra talented Alex North. Don’t miss this one it’s going to a bit hit I’m sure.
My thanks to NetGalley and Penguin UK - Michael Joseph for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was given a copy of The Whisper Man by Alex North by the publisher for an honest review. This a debut novel for Alex and what a cracking first novel. The story begins with Tom and his 7 year old son they are coping with the sudden death of Jake's mother. They decide to move to Featherbank to restart their lives. In Featherbank the detectives are looking for a young boy who has gone missing, which is similar to the disappearances of 5 other children 20 years before.

This book is well written, with a spooky side. I would love to read more books by Alex North.

A good thriller with interesting back story of the characters. Easy to read and engaging.

Thanks for allowing me to review this book.

I am unable to say too much as it would spoil the wonderfully creepy plot of The Whisper Man....but here goes...

DI Pete Willis has made it his mission over the past 20 years to find the body of a little boy called Tony Smith. The Whisper Man or Frank Carter killed him....he is still in prison, jailed for the murders of children all those years ago.

The only body missing is that of Tony.....

Then a six year old boy goes missing ....is this the same as the Whisper Man ? But he’s still locked up...

The story is also told from the perspectives of Tom Kennedy and his absolutely charming young son, Jake. Rebecca, Tom’s wife and mother to Jake had died suddenly and they are both missing her terribly....and struggling with their grief.

The subject matter is at times so hard to read and there will be tears.....

There are many books that are good but a little forgettable, this is not one of those. It’s an incredible piece of creepy and yet emotive and expressive writing and will stay with me for a long time.....but please do not whisper near me for a while yet !!!


I would like to thank the Author/the Publishers/NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review

Wow. This novel had me gripped from the very start. I didn't want to put it down and every spare second I got I continued reading.

The story and twists were incredibly well thought out and described. I loved the use of various character view points for the story and how their roles advanced. There wasn't huge gaps between each characters section and therefore it was easy to follow.

I thoroughly enjoyed the writing style and how it changed for each character. The story itself was incredible and I would love a second installment.

Oh my goodness. I simply had to finish this book within one 24 hour period, I couldn't go to sleep without knowing the ending. Really clever, page-turning stuff.

'As a child, his father had been a language he was unable to speak, but he was fluent now.' I adored this book. To me it was all about the exploration of father/son relationship in ways I haven't seen done before. It's an amazingly insightful book with layers of metaphor and surprise. It's a great story but I especially loved the stories behind the story.

Ever since Hayley Joel Osment muttered those spine-tingling words “I see dead people” to Bruce Willis back in 1999 any book or film featuring little children talking to “imaginary” friends gives me the heebie jeebies and THE WHISPER MAN is no exception.

There is so much to say about this book, but I don’t want to give anything away so all I can tell you is there is a sick psychopath out there abducting little boys in the present, a sick serial killer serving life in prison for abducting and killing little boys 20 years, an emotional damaged DI who’s determined to catch the killer and then there is little Jake and his dad Tom Kennedy.

Oh my word; Tom Kennedy is the most wonderful character – a grieving widow who’s wife died suddenly and unexpectedly and now finds himself trying to raise his sweet, overly sensitive 6 year old son Jake by himself and is struggling. My heart broke into a thousand pieces every time Tom told us his story and his feelings. His honesty and raw emotions were so real that it was sometimes difficult to remember this is a work of fiction.

Then there is little Jake – grieving over the loss of his beloved mummy, frightened and confused by things happening around him but such a sensitive sweetheart I wanted to give him a cuddle and tell him everything was going to be ok.

THE WHISPER MAN is so chilling, creepy and unsettling that I had to stop reading several times to catch my breath and remind myself it’s only a story. This is a superb book and I highly recommend it – but remember to make sure your doors and windows are closed.

I love a good a twisting crime novel and when I saw The Whisper Man on NetGalley I snapped it up straight away. I’d just finished Laila Slimani’s beautifully crafted Adele and I wanted to read a fast paced thriller, so I started this.


The Whisper Man is a little slow to start with. There are lots of characters and backstory to inform the reader about and the writing initially feels slow and laboured. I was critical at first, but as the story escalates I was gradually absorbed.

Each chapter switches between different characters and is gloriously frustrating because the truth is there but somehow not within reach. It’s is a gradually decreasing spiral; pulling characters and story closer until everything becomes devastatingly clear. Every single time I thought I was going to put the book down and get up and do real life things I couldn’t, and another hour was gone.

There is a lot to love in The Whisper Man. Initially my favourite inclusion is little Jake, a seven year old boy who is outcasted by his peers and relies on the company of imaginary friends. While normal for children his age to have them, Jake’s seem to give him information that he shouldn’t have access to. I really liked the inclusion of the story from Jake’s point of view and I thought North did a great job and sounding out a little boy’s voice.

You’re never quite sure whether the events happening are paranormal and even though logic tells you there isn’t, and you’ll talk yourself out of it a lot, there will always be that kernel of doubt. But when the Whisper Man starts to pray on Jake it’s so unsettling you really hope it isn’t real. Although most parts feel like a domestic drama, there are also small moments that are genuinely unsettling. I won’t give anything away but I tried to think what I would do if the events in that house happened to me, and I would probably just scream.

The Whisper Man is perfect for crime fans who are looking for something a bit more than a straight-forward procedural and there’s lots to love. If you like conversations with serial killers, weird crime trophy hunters, discovery of remains, abduction or general horrifying twists then this book if for you.

A great debut novel with a fast paced story that had lots of twists and turns. It was quite creepy in places and there was never any certainty in my mind as to how the story would work out. I like novels that aren't predictable.

"If you leave a door half open soon you'll hear the whispers spoken........" ________ Alex North

An absolute stonking read that holds you in its jaws from start to finish. Utterly chilling, disturbing and downright creepy. I really cannot recommend this psychological thriller/horror high enough.

Many thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this ARC for which I have given my voluntary and unbiased review.

A tense and well written novel.

The moment I read the blurb I knew this was something that I really wanted to read. The story itself is well executed and the characters are interesting and full of life.
I would recommend this for sure!

An absolutely brilliant book, creepy as hell, no pointless gore for gore sake, thoroughly recommend this to anyone, this will keep you up till the end.

Loved this. Truly creepy premise and the whispers, the little girl, the boy in the floor, the letter box scene all gave actually shivers. But they're not just cheap thrills; it all adds up to satisfying, well-told story with real emotional depth. Highly recommend.

‘The whisper man’ is a brilliantly creepy thriller that I couldn’t put down. Following the death of his wife Tom Kennedy and his young son move to a small town to make a fresh start. Twenty years ago five boys were murdered in the area and although the murderer, nicknamed the Whisper man, is in prison the body of one of the boys has never been found. Detective Pete Willis has made it his mission to find the body and visits the murderer over the years to try to persuade him to reveal its whereabouts. Tom and Jake begin to settle into their new home but then another young boy disappears and Jake starts to hears whispers. The characters were well-drawn and believable. The realisation that the detective is Tom’s estranged father adds an extra interest to this gripping novel of suspense.

Brilliant plot, excellent main characters that you invest in. I read this book in one sitting and I would highly recommend it.

SPOILERS SPOILERS
3.5 stars

I breezed through this on one long train journey,and didn't notice the time passing.
It was creepy,not just for the kid and his seeing things,or the whisper man,or the serial killer who keeps boys bodies in his extension (I really wished I understood better the timeline on these boys being taken and killed), but also for the fact people will pay to be in the same room as a victims bones... that one was probably more scary,as could possibly happen.
I very much liked the Pete character,more so when we got his back story.

Overall,it was a good page Turner,with a few twists that made me rethink what I thought was going on.

Definitely one I'm buying for others.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 enjoyable stars

This was an easy to read, keeps you guessing book. I liked the characters and how they inter weaved with each other and particularly liked the chapters told from Jake’s perspective.

I wasn’t sure where the book was going till right near the end which was great.

So why only the 4 stars? Hard to explain, it just it lacked that little something extra, that thing that totally grips you start to finish. I don’t know much about the author but based on this book I will definitely read another.

I can't help sometimes but be wary of a book that gets hyped up way head of release date. There's always the worry that you expect too much, and what is essentially a decent book can feel like it's under-delivered. Safe to say though that this was not the case here. Loved the hints of supernatural set against the backdrop of a crime-thriller. Some great characters that pop off the page, and genuinely was a page turner for me, so would absolutely recommend to any and all looking for their next read.

The Whisper Man is a fabulous crime thriller which scared me witless and has me in tears more than once. It's a fabulous read.

It focusses heavily on Fathers and their relationships with their sons and features a wonderful little lad called Jake, who with his Dad Tom has moved into a new house in a small town called Featherbank, ready for a fresh start, following the sudden death of Jake's Mum.

But it doesn't prove to be the tranquil place these guys have hoped for. The house looks and seems a little strange and Featherbank is a tight-knit community where years earlier a serial killer who targetted young children gained notoriety as The Whisper man. But he is still locked away paying for his heinous crimes, so when another little boy goes missing not long after Jake and Tom arrive, it obviously can't have anything to do with the earlier murders. Well that's what the investigating police, DI Pete Willis and DI Amanda Beck, assume.

Pete was heavily involved in the murder investigations 20 years earlier and has made it his lifes mission to try and uncover the resting place of one final victim whose body has never been found but this triumph has eluded him and shaped his personality. And when 6 year old local lad Neil disappears, he is adamant that with his colleague Amanda he will find this little boy alive.

As the investigation goes on, Jake begins to worry his Dad, he reports hearing whispers outside his bedroom and has gained an imaginary friend.

The story is deeply emotional and heartbreaking as the fates of murdered children and sick predators are revealed. But throughout it all runs the thread of love and hope that is the unbreakable bond between fathers and their sons, whatever their circumstances.

I galloped through this book which I received via Netgalley. I feel it may well be one of my favourite reads this year as I was so immersed in it and loved reading it. This book combines a haunting and eerie feel alongside the terrifying brutality described and the redemptive qualities of family ties. I was sucked deep into the storyline effortlessly and I can't help but recommend anyone who loves a dramatic thriller to read this and feel it would make a superb tv show.