Whisper Network is an undeniably important read. Built as a thriller, this book explores the daunting and intimidating task that lies ahead for women who have experienced any form of harassment by a man much higher up the career ladder than they are.

What do you do? Do you grin and bear it? Do you risk your job to file a complaint that could be weaponized against you? Do you rage? Do you scream? Do you yell?

First, you whisper. You warn the other women in your life. We send out secret signals to each other, our modus operandi, our method of protecting ourselves and each other.

That is the basis of Whisper Network. A realistic and compelling story about four women who find themselves victimized by the same man. But when an anonymous list is circulated detailing all the men in the Dallas area who are known for their catcalls, their groping, and at their very worst, assault, a light shines from above.

For once these women can let their voices be heard. They can offer protection, they can warn and prevent, while knowing their jobs are safe.

Then everything they’ve built is threatened when their CEO jumps off the roof and kills himself, setting off a chain reaction of events that all lead right to the heart of a courtroom.

Whisper Network is a damn addicting read. Told by alternating point-of-view chapters mixed with flash-forwards to court depositions, interviews, comment threads, and more, Baker does an excellent job of weaving a compelling narrative, albeit one that runs a little longer than it needs to.

The brilliance of this story is that none of these women are the “perfect victim.” I can’t tell you how happy I was to realize that. In fact, some of the main characters are downright unlikable, which is brilliant.

Rude women get raped. Women who have affairs can still be harassed by the men they once slept with. There is no such thing as a “perfect victim,” which feels like a robust underlying point of the Whisper Network.

Every woman who experiences assault or harassment in this book is hugely different. Some of them have even done horrible things. Society believes you can judge a woman’s believability and worth by her past decisions. But rape is rape. Assault is assault. It doesn’t matter what you did before that moment, all that matters is that moment.

Should you read Whisper Network?

Yes, yes, 1,000 times, yes! The only issue I had with this book is some of the feministic notions felt a little shallow to me (the frequent mentions of Tina Fey and giving up blowjobs in the name of feminism? okay.), but beyond that, this is a timely and essential read. It’s also just a genuinely good book and exceedingly well-written.

Whisper Network is a little like Big Little Lies for the legal crowd, and it shouldn’t be missed. Chandler Baker has become a must-read author for me after this novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for an early copy of Whisper Network in exchange for an honest review!

I had a hard time getting into this book in the beginning. It was slow and a lot of characters. It wasn't until I was over 10% that I started to get interested. I found the remainder much better and I enjoyed the twists and reveal.

Whisper Network is the type of book that could only be released in today’s world, after the #MeToo movement and the Women’s March. Women - especially liberal women - have made it clear that #TimesUp for the Good Ol’ Boy Network of wealthy white men who have long gotten away with sexually harassing, and assaulting, women in the workplace.

The female author who wove this tale didn’t have to look far for inspiration. Nor did she paint the women as merely doe-eyed innocents who had been wronged by the big bad boogeyman. Instead, the characters had many realistic flaws; they lied, they cheated, and yet they also worked hard and did not deserve the awful things that men put them through.

If you’re looking for a book that’s a feminist march from the very beginning, this might not suit your needs. In fact, the middle-aged women start off making catty remarks about Millennials and often try to find excuses for the way men treat them. This ultimately leads to an eye-opening awakening for them that is in many ways more satisfying due to their initial reluctance to view themselves as victims.

Most women will find a lot to like (and relate to) in this book. Men could learn a lot about what it’s like to be a woman. But the intended audience is definitely progressive/liberal women who have had enough and are ready to fight back.

The twists weren’t surprising to me as I’d called most of them early on. That didn’t make the resolution less enjoyable, but it did reduce the tension I felt while reading this otherwise solid book.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC. This review contains my honest, unbiased opinion.

This is a book that certainly holds its secrets until the bitter end...but then again, don't most of us?

It's a story that could have been ripped from the headlines, a story that we've seen played out in various fields in the #metoo movement, a story that should never have to be contemplated as to whether or not it is fact or fiction...and yet, we do. The women presented here are smart, strong, beautiful, capable, and still fall victim in many ways to the outrageously odious "charms" of one Ames. The simple truth is that he was someone with issues that chose to wield his power in the workplace in VERY unethical ways. He could have chosen the high road. He could have stopped what he was doing and been happy with the achievements in life he had. He could have...but he wouldn't. Sometimes the only way to stop someone like that is to expose them for the degenerate they are...which leads us to a harder truth. He may have been able to be stopped several victims ago...if only someone had spoken up.

Now, it's not their fault that he continued on his twisted path. It's not their fault that other women were subjected to his horrible person in verbal or physical encounters. Speaking out is never an easy step...but it should be. There should be a system in place that helps victims like this. There should be an unbiased response to cases raised of this nature, so as not to single out the victim or the perpetrator, but to get to the truth and stop the violence from whichever direction it is occurring. I'd love to say that everyone that speaks up is doing so with an honest heart, but in today's world...some are only looking for their five minutes in the spotlight, no matter the cost. It doesn't mean that EVERY case raised is a false alarm though, and sadly, the majority aren't.

Here, we have strong female characters that may have fallen prey to unwanted advances, but when things looked like they would become darker still, they were unwilling to be just victims. They were willing to take on "the man", go against the grain, band together and seek justice, even when things looked to be their worst. They may fail, true...but they wouldn't do so quietly...and so the ending to their story would be set to a victory song come what may. Oh, and readers...that song is played loud and clear for many reasons, not least of all the surprising twist near book's end.

The time for ignoring the whispers is over. Enough is enough. The women are closing ranks to speak up about the sexual harassment in their workplace. Part thriller and part murder mystery, Baker expertly delves into what it is like to be a woman in the corporate world.

Sloane, Ardie, and Grace are Truviv attorneys while Rosalita is a cleaning woman. The current CEO has died and it is rumored that Ames Garrett will fill the vacancy. But there have been whispers that Garrett has harassed and assaulted women in the workplace. People have covered for him for years. So the women finally speak up, and someone dies. Did they have anything to do with it? Interspersed throughout the book are portions of police interviews and depositions. Also interwoven are two lesser plotlines that will eventually play heavily in the outcome.

A real page turner. Suspenseful. Emotional. Portions of the book will definitely take you out of your comfort zone. Realistic characters with all their flaws, characters you can relate to. I was cheering on these women.
Thank you to Flatiron Books via NetGalley for the advance reading copy. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

This book was a mixed bag for me. The five women we meet all have secrets that are revealed one by one. Some of the reveals made for entertaining plot twists while others seemed a bit convenient and were less than believable. There is a similarity to "Big Little Lies," but this one feels a bit preachy and philosophical -- even cryptic at times. The characters here are too much the same as well compared to the diversity in BLL. This one just tried too hard.

Thank you to Flatiron and NetGalley for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Smart and timely. Whether you've worked in a toxic corporate environment or not, I think readers (particularly women) of all kinds will resonate with this story about friendship and the difficulties of being a woman in the workforce. There are sections that have a "Greek chorus" style narration, talking about these challenges, and there were moments when reading them that I paused and felt moved as I realized that it wasn't just me who had had those feelings and challenges. I was furious and indignant on behalf of Sloane, Ardie, and Grace as they fought their employer and a corrupt system, and definitely surprised by the ending.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

4 women + a new employee + an egotistical man = recipe for disaster.

Sloane, Ardie, Grace, and Rosalita have worked for their employer for years. The owner suddenly dies, and their boss, Ames, is set to take the helm. Each of these women have formed a different relationship with him over the years, and it's not gone well. Add in a new employee, Katherine, and a list of men that is circulating the company that lists their secrets and exploits, and there is a catastrophe. The original 4 refuse to let this man move on to the next victim....how far will they go to protect her?

This book was just ok to me. It had a 9 to 5 (the movie) feel, but it just didn't interest me as much as I had hoped.

What a fun and addicting ride!!

A corporate office full of scandals, lies, tensions, and secrets.

Such a fun buddy read I had with Holly! I definitely recommend this one if you're tired of predictable thrillers. This is different and still has that fun addicting ride that you're aiming for!

I respect Chandler Baker so much for writing about a such a difficult topic of sexual harassment. This story focuses on four women that struggle to make it through the corporate world with challenges of sexual harassment. This is a very honest portrayal of how women are treated in the workforce between other men sexually harassing them and also through other women's eyes and the assault that women have on one another. The amount of power that this novel resonates with those that don't have a voice is amazing and loved it!!

When the four women decide to come to light with the harassment and won't take the BS anymore.. things get real! Who will survive? Who is telling the truth... can they all be trusted?

I really enjoyed this one!! And that ending!! :)

Thank you so much to Flatirion and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Publication date: 7/2/19
Published to GR: 6/23/19

I received an eARC of Whisper Network by Chandler Baker from the Publisher (Flatiron Books) in exchange for an honest review. Whisper Network is scheduled for release on July 2, 2019.

Whisper Network is a story that revolves around a group of women in Dallas. Sloane, Ardie, Grace, and Rosalita all work for Truviv, a large, prominent sports attire company. Several of the women are in-house lawyers, with varying years of experience with the company. Some of the women are in less visible positions.

The triggering event for this story is the death of the company’s CEO. It was unexpected, and the company does not have a plan of succession in place. When Ames becomes the most likely choice to follow in the footsteps of the deceased CEO, the women begin to amplify the whispers that have been circulating for years, raising the volume to a point that the world can’t ignore.

This story is told from with first person plural perspective (the four women speaking as we) as a frame. Within that frame, we get eye witness accounts, interview transcripts, and court transcripts. We also get third person sections that follow each of the four women, revealing their individual roles in the story.

The four women are all well-developed as characters. Each of them has a desire to succeed, but not all of them have the same vision of what success looks like. Because of those differences in vision, they make choices that make sense for each of them individually, but often cause conflict within the group. The secondary characters are less well developed, particularly the men around them, but they still make sense as people.

The plot of this story was complex. We know from page one that we are delving into a pool of secrets and mysteries. As the story continues, information is added that clarifies some of the mysteries and adds layers to others. I felt that if I read this novel, and took notes as I went, I should have been able to sort it all out before the secrets were fully revealed. Everything made sense in the end, but was pleasantly just out of sight while reading.

There were some spots where the transitions in and out of flashbacks were hard to follow. I think, though, that this was more an issue with the formatting of the eARC and am hopeful that the final version will be formatted in a way that helps the reader make those transitions.

This story takes place in Dallas, but it really could have been moved to any large city and worked. The key bit of setting is the office building itself. I could have used a bit more to help me see the world mos of this story occurs in, for me it became a generic office building.

Overall, Whisper Network was a very engaging read, with a satisfying mystery. This story has a lot to say about women’s relationships with each other and with the world around them.

I'm torn. One one hand I know that this cautionary tale is an important one. It was empowering and encouraging and essential. These stories need to be written and told. I cannot imagine what women face in the workplace.

I just found something about this book disjointed. I'm not sure why. Maybe it was the shift from first to third person? Maybe it was the murder subplot, which I honestly found unnecessary? The story was just a bit all-over the place to me. Like perhaps this book couldn't decide if it wanted to be a serious exposé or another version of Big Little Lies.

So, in conclusion, I understand the importance of this story, but it just didn't do it for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this novel. All opinions are my own.

This book kept me guessing right up until the end and had me nodding along at its arch comments about being a woman in a corporate workplace. I am partial to books about work-- I feel like it's an underused setting in a lot of novels. I loved the distinct voice and motive of each of the characters and was very impressed by the resolution. I will definitely be looking out for more books by this author.

Thank you to Netgalley and Flatiron for the digital galley of Whisper Network in exchange for an honest review.

Four Women are faced with the decision to speak up about wrongdoings within their office after learning that one of their fellow co workers is being promoted as the new CEO of the company.

This book and me. It's complicated. I started the book almost angry at how whiny the women were. I soon started to feel like I was being knocked over the head repeatedly with the same information. At some point, I almost dnf'd it. The story felt all over the place, the characters were borderline unlikable, The point of view shifted willy nilly and I could never grasp who was even talking in the first place. It was dry, bland, on the verge of boring me to skim. I felt like I already knew what was going to happen. And Then.....

I reached the 80% mark in Whisper Network, Yes, 80%, and it soon turned into something that felt worth reading. I'm glad that I stuck with it. I started to feel something. There was a shift in the tone. The women came alive, The fight got stronger, the demand for being heard, more insistent. The end was satisfying.

I wish that the approach had been better, because I see where the author is trying to go, but I just kept feeling like it was missing the mark. Despite this, the moments of momhood and parenting resonated with me. I was also completely invested in the fight these women were putting up in the face of the me too era we find ourselves in.

I guess my advice would be, if you choose to read this one - fight the urge to dnf it. You'll be fulfilled by the end.

THE WHISPER NETWORK is a fast-paced, rage-inducing read. I loved the plot of this story - especially coming from a background in law, this hit close to home. Baker's commentary on being a woman in a male-dominated field is spot on, and she uses the collective first-person voice of Women in The Workforce to emphasize that point.

The narration moves between that collective first-person and a third-person omniscient. It's a stylistic choice that seems interesting, but when executed, just ended up muddling the narrative. There were also a few points where it felt as though the author was trying too hard to make the language and pop-culture references relevant to millennial readers. It made me hyper-aware of the author rather than being able to immerse myself in the world.

But at the end of the day, this is a story that too many women will identify with. It's a story that needs to be told because it's too many women's truth. I'm glad it's being told and being told in a way that is consumable and hard to put down.

Reading the synopsis of Whisper Network by Chandler Baker, I couldn’t help but think of the movie 9 to 5! But this is not a comedy, its pretty somber and once you get into it – took me a little while- you cannot put it down.

Here’s what you need to know:

Sloane, Ardie, Grace, and Rosalita have worked at Truviv, Inc. for years. The sudden death of Truviv’s CEO means their boss, Ames, will likely take over the entire company. Each of the women has a different relationship with Ames, who has always been surrounded by whispers about how he treats women. Those whispers have been ignored, swept under the rug, hidden away by those in charge.

But the world has changed, and the women are watching this promotion differently. This time, when they find out Ames is making an inappropriate move on a colleague, they aren’t willing to let it go. This time, they’ve decided enough is enough.

Sloane and her colleagues’ decision to take a stand sets in motion a catastrophic shift in the office. Lies will be uncovered. Secrets will be exposed. And not everyone will survive. All of their lives—as women, colleagues, mothers, wives, friends, even adversaries—will change dramatically as a result.

“If only you had listened to us,” they tell us on page one of Chandler Baker’s Whisper Network, “none of this would have happened.”

This novel combines women’s issues (#metoo movement) with suspense and excellent writing with characters you will root for.

Pre-Order here.

4.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley, Flatiron Books and Chandler Baker for an ARC ebook copy to review. As always, an honest review from me.

Like:
- Lots of background info and a good lead to the drama
- Different outlooks from different women - the accusers and the man’s wife
- People will have strong reactions to the book’s topics, which is great to get a discussion going
- Perfect for book clubs - in person or online!
- Behind the scenes look at an investigation into sexual harassment claims
- Real life modern day work place issues - relatable to so many

Love:
- More books are discussing this topic: sexual harassment in the workplace. Men can’t get away with inappropriate behavior and the imbalance of power anymore
- A #MeToo topic book!
- The camaraderie of the women in the workplace without being overbearing and anti men. The story feels very balanced and shows the perspectives of different people and different genders
- Several mentions of breast feeding in a positive manner. We don’t see this enough in books!
- Really enjoyable to read; great pacing, wonderful writing, seamless plot transitions

Dislike:
- Lots of information, but reads as a slow pace book at times - mainly during the beginning. It does level out to a much better pace about 25% of the way in.
- Not a dislike for me, but possibly for other people. Lots of discussions of sexual harassment, suicide, and legal issues involving these topics.

Wish that:
- Captured my attention more (in the first half). It’s interesting, but with this topic feel like it could do so much more.
- I related to the women more at the beginning of the story, since the discussion was from the POV of the accused’s wife

Overall, a wonderful book about modern day women in the workplace. Many issues were brought up in the context of the story. I think a lot of people will relate to and enjoy this novel. For awhile I wasn’t sure if I wanted to request an ARC copy of this book from NetGalley, but I’m so glad that I did. Definitely recommend!

The Whisper Network is a thought provoking read about the mistreatment of women in the workplace, etc. It immediately put me in mind of 9 to 5 with Dolly Parton from ninety eighty something. I like the exposure this book will give to women's issues that are mostly buried by a male dominated society. I enjoyed the story and the characters were on point and engaging. So many things need to change for women to have a fair chance, but it's an uphill battle of epic proportions. I hope people read this book and talk about it honestly. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

What happens when four women have had enough at their workplace? This is the story of Sloane, Ardie, Grace, Katherine, and Rosalita and the actions they take end up having dramatic consequences for all of them.

The story alternates between the present and the past. There is a crime and the author reveals piece by piece the events leading to that point. Part of the story is told in the format of police interviews, which I enjoyed and thought was written cleverly.

The novel is about friendship, workplace challenges, motherhood, honesty, and more. Overall, I liked it and found it discusses relevant workplace issues.

Received ARC from the publisher via Netgalley

My Review: This one reminded me of a combo of John Tucker Must Die and that really old movie 9 to 5. It was very dark and very good. I will say that parts of it came off as man hating just a tad. But it wasn't overly done so it didn't over power the story. I also want to say that this one was layered with mystery and at times I couldn't keep track of who what doing what or keeping what a secret. It think this one would do REALLY well as a movie or TV show.

The characters were all wonderful. They ooze that #MeToo era, everyone felt very authentic and I really enjoyed how they planned to take down their boss.

This is one of those books where you will hate who you are supposed to and root for those that need it!

What the women in this go through hits really too close to home but in really great ways. As someone who has experienced sexual harassment, both in the workplace and out, I had visceral reactions to how some people reacted to the events of this book, so while frustrating in ways, it was done in the best way. And in spite of all I thought I knew about the players involved, there were still some fantastic twists that managed to surprise me at the end.