LOVE Alex North's whisper man, so was excited to read this new sampler and it did not disappoint! I can't wait to read the full book but this sure opens with a punch! Alex's writing style is easy and keeps you reading, perfect for fans of thrillers and mysteries and I sense this one may have a sense of occult to come too. Can't wait to keep reading!

Red hands. Red hands everywhere.

The synopsis left me all but eager to begin "The Shadows", and I truly wanted to love it. But unfortunately for me it was just okay. I know that I am in the minority when I say this but I just couldnt love this book. I listened to it in audio form and am contemplating going back and actually reading it because I cant help but feel that maybe its me and not the book. I will say though that both narrators were fantastic. I respect Alex Norths writing enough to not only give it another try but also to urge other readers to not be dissuaded by my rating of 3*.

Charlie Crabtree is an obviously extremely disturbed child. He has his friends, Billy Roberts, James Dawson, and Paul Adams believing in the myth of Mister Red Hands. Charlie Crabtree urges his friends to begin keeping dream diaries in an attempt to find Mister Red hands during their lucid dreaming. Charlie later participates in a ritualistic murder, goes missing and becomes a cult figure in the darkest corners of the internet. Twenty- five Years later the myth is still very much alive and has claimed yet another victim, Michael Price.

Overall I found this book to be interesting, somewhat creepy, but all to hard to follow.

I recieved a digital copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

It was well written. Exceptionally gripping. It was really creepy and it got pretty intense as well. I think the ending could've been better, few things could've been different but over all. It was a solid read. I enjoyed it. If you want something creepy and thrilling i would recommend this to you. Thank you Net Galley, Publisher and Author for providing me with the arc of this book.

I liked this sampler so much that I had to buy the book. I really like the way the author writes and I can't wait to finish the story.

I really enjoyed this chapter sample and now I can't wait to read the rest. Alex North is a skillful writer, the atmosphere was ere throughout and tension was slowly building with each new sentence! I am definitely going to grab the full copy now, as well as The Whisper man.

Great book! I read a trail chapter and was hooked. Can’t wait to read the whole thing! It’s intriguing and keeps the reader on their toes wanting to know what will happen next.

I cannot wait to grab a copy of this after reading this chapter sample. I was such a fan of The Whisper Man and I can tell that Alex North won't be letting me down with the Shadows! Absolutely gripping.

Just finished the sample chapter and i would love to readdd moreeee !! I neeed more 😍 for now it's intriguing and i like this genre of writing

Just finished sample chapter and I need more!!!! It was superb and that cover is just WOW. I would love to read more by author

Just finished sample chapter and I need more!!!! It was superb and that cover is just WOW. I would love to read more by author

This book kept me on my toes and I could not put it down. There was twist and turns that made it hard to put down the book. This is a must read!

This is a highly anticipated read for me!!! I loved Alex North's The Whisper Man so much that I wanted to get my hands on this books as soon as I heard about it. The sample chapter did NOT disappoint.

This chapter sampler has me dying to read more! Good thing I was approved for the audiobook. Can't wait to listen!

Oh yes, I will definitely be reading this book ASAP. From the prologue and the first chapter, there is a clear sense of the creepy setting and mystery surrounding the gory murder they have just discovered.

The detective, Amanda, clearly has some demons of her own that you want to learn about as well.

I read The Whisper Man and really enjoyed it so I know that I like Alex North’s writing style. Thank you Netgalley for the sneak peek.

Update: just finished reading the entire book and here is what I posted on goodreads:

I enjoyed this book. I’ve read some of the other reviews and I can see how the two timelines along with the lucid dreaming could be confusing, but by the end, I thought all was explained well.

The setting is creepy and really draws you in. Paul returns home where some tragedy has occurred that has affected his entire life. I was very surprised when the tragedy is finally revealed and that made me really enjoy the book.

I felt like Amanda’s story could have been further explored, but she was not the main storyline. That distracted me some, maybe because I read so many police procedural stories where the detective is the main character.

Paul’s past stories mesh pretty well with the present to give the reader background information. I will admit that I thought the motives for the crimes were kind of, meh? But crimes have been committed for weirder reasons.

Overall, I would say that it is not quite the Whisper Man, but this is definitely an author I will continue to follow. I really enjoy how Alex North spins his narrative with the right amount of horror story mixed with reality.

I was given a short (one chapter) excerpt from The Shadows to review. That beginning chapter is a grabber. A child has been murdered and his body is found in a quarry surrounded by hundreds of bloody handprints pressed carefully against the stone.

That one chapter has me already hooked, and, yes, I will definitely read the book. Thank you to NetGalley for this teaser.

Excellent start, I had DEVOURED Alex North’s previous book, The Whisper Man, and I’m eager to read this next one. The author does a great job of creating an atmosphere that absolutely pulls you in from the jump.

I really enjoyed this and look forward to more from Alex North. Now I have to go back and read the Whisper Man too!!!! This book was spooky, atmospheric, and left me dying to know what happens next. I found a new author!!!!

I've heard amazing things about Alex North and after the first chapter alone, I am ABSOLUTELY HOOKED ARE YOU KIDDING ME. Horror is not normally my thing, but I definitely want to learn more. I love North's writing style. Can't wait for the rest of the story!

Ghost stories should be sad. That's what Jenny told him when they were 15 and aspiring writers. Ghost stories should also be creepy. And frightening, And horrifying. And they should stick with you long after you read them. Haunt you. Is this a ghost story, then? Maybe.

Though I was given only the preview, Book of the Month provided the opportunity for the whole thing, so this review started with a few chapters and expanded as I devoured the entire book in a day. I should have known that would happen. It happened with The Whisper Man. I don't know who Alex North was in his previous writing life, but I would love to find out and expand to reading those works, too. I do know he is heavily influenced by Stephen King. The Easter Eggs throughout are a King fan gift. Put them in a little box in your head.

The Shadows are a thick wooded area that runs behind all of the homes of our main characters. I had the perfect spot staring at the side of my yard, here in my home in a National Forest, where my trees are the most thick and overgrown. While I read I could hear all kinds of creatures moving around in that thicket, trying to guess by the noise how big each was....this was the perfect place to read this story. And I read until I didn't have enough light to continue. So, my nightmares may have only been half the fault of the author.

Perhaps it is natural to have nightmares about a story about trying to enter the dreams of others. Because that is what Charlie Crabtree told the others they could do. Lucid dreaming became a cult among four boys until Paul decides he's had enough. He leaves behind his best friend and someone ends up dead. 15 years later he still feels that guilt when he returns to his hometown of Gritten as his mother is dying.

At the same time, he learns that the internet has awoken people trying to replicate what Charlie did all those years ago. Copycats hoping to achieve the dream. Literally, the dream. Because Charlie said that if they made a sacrifice, they could live in the dream world. And Charlie was never seen again.

Paul's mother is not happy to see him back. She is old, injured, and dying. She is confused. But she keeps repeating that he should not be here. It was dangerous for him. She insists that something dangerous is in her house. Paul has to face his past. He ran away 20 years ago and never returned, but his life has gone nowhere and now it is time for him to close the past to open his future.

The Shadows brought us back Detective Beck from The Whisper Man. Herself still haunted by her own past, she is open to Paul's story and finding out what had happened so long ago so she can understand the crime that had just occurred in her own town. It's not really a sequel. Once again, it's more like a King story in which one character comes up again in a new story in a new place. Childhood sins come back to haunt adults and they must face their past. It's a common theme in both books and the most obvious nod to King in both books. Well, maybe the actual discussions about King are the most obvious.

I hope to see Amanda Beck again. I hope that Alex North continues to write these haunting tales. Because it was sad. It was creepy. It was frightening and horrifying. It was a ghost story. Ghosts from our past or ghosts of the dead? Maybe.

While this is only the sample beginning, I was hooked!! I thankfully then got a copy of this book and DEVOURED all of it. So good!!!