The Shadows by Alex North was very atmospheric with great character development. I really enjoy the trope of "going home" after years with the hope of not reliving past trauma but facing your demons all the same. The plot points were well-paced. I'd really like to read more from this author.

I was granted an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review 2 years ago. Not long after, I started seeing many 2-star reviews which, for some reason (anxiety played its part), stopped me from reading a book I had been dying to get my hands on. Well, it turned out I wasn’t wrong and this one was definitely for me.

I gave it 4.5 stars.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Celadon Books for granting me early access to this work. I have to let you know I was given the chapter sampler, but had to buy the book, given the amount of time passed (and I’m glad I did), so that’s what I’ll be reviewing.

Paul Adams has to go back to Gritten Woods, his hometown, because he finds out his mother is dying after an accident probably caused by her deterioration because of her dementia. However, there’s a reason why he left 25 years ago, the ghosts than hunt him for what happened, and they seem very much alive.

I have to say this review will be biased, as the book gave me the #1 thing that catches me and doesn’t let me go in books, atmosphere. I constantly felt the need to continue reading, the shadows lurking around me, the creepiness. I never knew exactly if the explanation was going to be supernatural or if Alex North was going to come up with something totally rational for the dark events, until the very end.

There are also a few plot twists that, at least I, was not expecting at all, so the rating for this horror skyrocketed when they were revealed. I kept speculating on who did what until the last couple of chapters, because I needed theories!

The writing style makes the story easy to follow and allows for easy distinction between dialogue and thoughts without having to stop to do so.

It is plot driven, but incredibly atmospheric and with proper character development, even though there are a couple of them for whom I’d have loved more time and action in the story.

To summarise, I don’t know why I didn’t pick this up before, but I should have. The only reason why I didn’t give it 5 stars was that I would have liked to have felt more emotion on the last couple of chapters, which doesn’t mean action whatsoever.

If you like creepy psychological horror/thriller books that keep you hanging, this book is for you.

This book was still really good. I guess I went into these books wanting more creepy/spooky/scary vibes and I didn't really get it, but they were still good. I like both this one and The Whisper Man. Glad I read them.

Dark atmospheric story that is centered around the infamous Whisper Man (Frank Carter)…. 20 years ago a serial killer stalked young boys in the small town of Featherbank.
5 young boys went missing, the families recall their sons saying they heard whispers at their bedroom window before they were taken …. The 5 boys were eventually found dead. Frank Carter was caught and is serving his sentence. The case shook this small town and the investigators on the case…..

Fast forward to the present day…. Tom is trying to rebuild his life after the death of his wife. He decides to move to Featherbank with his young son Jake, it’s a fresh start.
They move into their new house, and it is super creepy let me tell you. A young boy in Jake's class has recently gone missing ….. his mother tells police before he was taken he heard whispers...

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

This book is super creepy, I don’t want to say much more as it gives to much away it is best to go into this book blind. At the heart of this book is a Father/Son relationship and I absolutely loved exploring this.

I really enjoyed the interviews with Frank Carter, his darkness and presence in the book reminded me of the Ed Kemper (Actor) from Netflix Mindhunter’s.

This book keep you in suspense and is very difficult to put down….. Best not to read this book late at night like I did when the wind was howling it gave me the creeps.
I highly recommend this book for thriller addict

I was really looking forward to this book as the Whisper Man by Alex North is one of my most enjoyed books in the thriller genre I have read this far. What I enjoyed about the Whisper Man was the underlying messages in the story past the thriller aspect. The Shadows has some of that where there is underlying themes on humanity and human relationships, but I never emotionally invested in this story the same way.

I really wanted to love this book, but I was left disappointed.

I ended up listening to the audiobook version of this book, and I do admit the production was pretty good! The narration mixed with the suspenseful music they included really made this book feel creepy.

However, the plot of the story felt underwhelming. Maybe it’s because I was not interested in the lucid dreaming aspect of this book. I’m also not a huge supernatural, paranormal fan so that could also be why I didn’t enjoy this plotline.

Also, maybe it’s due to the audiobook version, but I found myself confused by the dual timeline and the many characters.

I was also disappointed at the ending; it was very rushed and I still had questions left to be answered.
I do really want to read The Whisper Man, so I’m definitely willing to read other books from this author. This one just wasn’t for me.

A group of kids involved in a murder 25 years ago but the scars and the horror still remain. Now Paul returns to his hometown and revisits this event in his life as well as the long range damage it caused. With a touch of the supernatural and a dark twisted case that will keep you guessing, this is a book that won't be easy to put down.

Thank you #Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley, Celedon publishing and Alex North .. I received just a sample of this book, but I am a big fan of this author so I expect to give it 4 or 5 stars once I do complete my reading of it. In the meantime, I have the audiobook and am anxious to listen to it..

My hopes for this book were relatively high when I saw the description and I was greatly anticipating it after reading North’s debut. The Shadows has a sinister plot with characters that will have you wondering if you should turn all your lights on while reading. For a sophomore novel, I was hoping that the ending of the book would hold up to the intrigue of the first part, and I was let down. The book starts with a large group of characters, vague moments that build intrigue, and an overall strong start. The cast of characters could have worked out well, but some characters were left feeling unworked.
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This was a relatively unique thriller and I loved the lucid dreaming concept! It hooked me and worked on my subtle fears. The ending could have been more fleshed out, but if you enjoyed The Whisper Man this is a solid thriller!

What I Loved: I absolutely adored The Whisper Man and was so excited by The Shadows as a sort of companion to North’s first novel. The only similarities between the two was how dark they were and, as someone who reads horror novels on a regular basis, I enjoyed it. Unfortunately that is where the positives stop for me. I thought the concept was great but found the execution ultimately lacking.

What I Didn’t Love: First, there were so many characters, in both timelines and so it got confusing really quick. One of the major components of the book is this idea of lucid dreaming and honestly, the book felt like one disjointed, chaotic dream that wrapped up with more questions than answers. This chaos did not lend itself well to a coherent and clear plot. Half the time I could not tell whether the chapter I was reading was occurring in Paul’s head as a dream, or did it really happen? It irritates me just thinking about it.

Overall, I gave this one 3 stars.

DNF- I just couldn’t get through this book after trying multiple times in print and on audio. The story line didn’t engage me enough.

Didn't realise this was a chapter sampler when I requested this copy. However, I really enjoyed this and can not wait to pick up the full copy.

I had high hopes for this Alex North book, and he delivered! 5 spooky stars!

The Shadows isn't scary in the traditional sense -- I wasn't peeking behind the shower curtain. Instead, it evokes that otherworldly feeling that appeals to the kid inside....the kid who chanted Bloody Mary in front of the mirror at midnight.

I love books that take us back to the main character's childhood memories (The Chalk Man by C. J. Tudor, for example). Especially when that childhood happened to be in the 70s, 80s, or 90s. Even better if that happens in a small town like Featherbank or Gritten!

I enjoyed this novel by Alex North. It explores the possibility and influence that vulnerable kids have over one another and the necessity to belong.

Paul and Jim were the best of friends, and nervous about starting in a new school. The friends would deal with teachers that play favorites, and bullies within their new surroundings. But they were not the only ones struggling. Paul and Jim would bond with two outsiders Charlie and Billie. Charlie begins to pull the boys into a web of secrets and the possibilities of dreams.

But when a ritualistic murder happens to Paul's best friend, a chain of events would unfold that no one would suspect. One boy is taken into custody, the other would disappear, and one is never found.

25 years later Paul returns to his hometown as his mother is declining in health. Paul will have to work through the demons of his childhood surrounding what happened to his friend. But as copycat murders begin surface Paul suspects there is more to the story of what happened on that fateful day, and what really happened in the shadows.

“We have to do something about Charlie”

Charlie Crabtree is a demented child with a sinister smile who Paul was briefly friends with. Charlie’s dark imagination and obsession with lucid dreams leads to a heinous murder, a blood sacrifice to the dream demon the kids have created, and Paul is the main suspect. After fighting for her innocent child, Paul’s mother manages to get him released. Paul’s other friend, Billy is then arrested however, Charlie has disappeared seemingly off the face of the Earth. Did their blood sacrifice actually work?

As soon as Paul is old enough he leaves the town of Gritten with no intentions of ever returning but the game wasn’t done with him yet. 25 years later Paul returns home to tend to his elderly mother who is suffering from dementia. She is seemingly out of it but warns her son to remain clear of her home. Meanwhile, detective Amanda Beck is investigating a copycat murder that has just occurred and on the lookout for who exactly is @CC666, a username that appears to be Charlie Crabtree leading others to complete the same crime years later.

The story takes a ton of twist and turns. Interweaves past and present, dream and reality throughout. It almost gets a little confusing as to what is real and what is dreams. There were many turns I didn’t expect and a few plots that felt lackluster. Overall the book is a solid one and a good read but lacked in a few places for me. Alex North is an amazing author but this story wasn’t my favorite.

Thank you Netgalley and Celadon Books for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest review.

Now this is what I am here for!
Bring me spooky...
Bring me creepy...
Make me want to stay up all night for just a few more chapters...
This is exactly how I felt while reading!

I thought The Whisper Man was spooky. Oh no, this one was just as spooky if not more.
"It's in the house!"
"Red hands everywhere, all across the eaves!"
I loved how North has the little quotes/thoughts throughout the book to add that spooky, creepy feel as you read. I especially loved that he referenced The Whisper Man within in the book as well!

This book was told from the "Then" and "Now" perspective. Paul had a horrible childhood experience when one of his friends was murdered at the hands of another one of his friends, Charlie, 25 years ago. He finds himself returning to his hometown 25 years later after his mom is placed on hospice due to fall. Returning home, he learns that there had been more killings similar to the one he experienced as child. The spooky part, his friend Charlie, who killed his friend 25 years ago was never found. Has Charlie resurfaced from "The Shadows" and continued to murder children, or do they have a copycat on their hands. As detective Amanda works the case, Paul finds out more disturbing things within his childhood home that he never knew...

So, yea... If you're looking for a Spooky, creepy, murder, who done it type of book this is it!

** spoiler alert ** Truthfully, I'd rate The Shadows a smidge under four stars. I liked this one better than The Whisper Man. I got whacked upside the head by one of the twists, but I still didn't love the ending. The story had such great ideas just like the WM, and, as with WM, I felt like it kind of copped out.

I'm also not sure why Amanda was brought into this one. I would have liked much more of an intertwined story for her character to come back, but frankly, this one had nothing to do with her and she almost proved to be a distraction.

I appreciated the other theme in this book, just like WM...it was almost as much about family relationships as it was about the mystery. But I like a dark and creepy thriller...and this had the potential, man so much potential, but just seemed to be unsure of which theme was central and so it felt, well, distracted.

Absolutely loved the cover. And this author writes one hell of a hook. He got me with Whisper Man and again with this one. I couldn't wait to get my hands on the entire book after reading a sample that had the first two chapters. The creep factor definitely stuck around, but I still felt a little let down after all of that great creepy potential.

The excerpt of this book unfortunately did not want to make me read the whole book. I wasn't a big fan of North's first novel but figured I'd give him another shot since everyone seems to love him. This story just didn't excite me, I find his writing very bland.

For this just being a Sampler it was amazing so much so as soon as I saw it was a BOTM club pick I had to get it ! If you read The Whisper Man your definitely going to want to read this!!

*This is a review of the whole book, which I was provided with by NetGalley in the form of an audiobook*

25 years ago, his life turned upside down when a boy he knew committed a horrible murder.

And now, a copycat resurfaces. And Paul will have to relive this nightmare all over.

Coming back to his hometown to take care of his ill mother, Paul finds that things have changed - but the worse aspect of his life has come back to haunt him. Someone has committed a horrible, despicable crime. And the details that come to surface are vastly similar to his past. The most traumatic event of Paul's life is coming back to haunt him.

The shadows is a gripping, atmospheric thriller that delivers on its promise. Alex North has managed to create an eerie atmosphere that remains intact throughout, creating a high sense of suspense and, at times, a generous amount of fear. Fans of the genre will not be disappointed. A recommended audio/book.