I was looking forward to this book because I enjoyed The Whisper Man immensely. While this one did not live up to those expectations, I did thoroughly enjoy it. The twists and turns in the novel kept me guessing the whole time. I had to rewind a couple times to make sure I heard correctly! The narrators did a great job of drawing you into the characters. I like the universe Alex North has set up. I will continue putting him on my must read list!

I know I'm in the minority here, but I actually liked The Shadows more than The Whisper Man. It was more focused, centering on one character rather than trying to juggle 4 narrators across two timelines. While having Amanda as a secondary narrator really didn't work for me (she really doesn't have much of a role beyond detailing the copycat murder and other "now" crimes), I really liked seeing Paul's growth as the story went on.

I docked a star from this one because the last act relies on a lot of reveals that didn't really fit in the story, but there was one in particular that I thought was brilliant and actually caught me totally off guard. Thinking back, I can see exactly how it fits (which is my favorite kind of thriller twist) but I still didn't see it coming.

This book also relies on some really weird aspects: lucid dreaming, local urban legends, cult mentality... But the explanations do make sense when you get there (though there wasn't quite enough time spent piecing things together, I think).

Red hands. Red hands everywhere.

Paul returns home after decades to tend to his ailing mother whom has suffered an accident in her home. Her dementia is advanced. She doesn't even realize he is there.

Detective Amanda Beck investigates a murder much like one that happened 25 years ago. A horrific, cult-like murder by two teenage boys, Billy and Charlie Crabtree. Billy was arrested, but Charlie was never seen again after going into the woods called The Shadows. Everyone remembers that murder. No one talks about it.

Told in various timelines and by multiple POV, Paul begins to dig into his past, truths about his friends, his family, and himself are revealed. What secrets do The Shadows hold?


Alex North paints a haunting ominous world where dreams become real and monsters lurk in The Shadows. His cast of complex characters fuel this plot driven story from family drama to supernatural-esque mystery thriller. While I enjoyed this story, I don't feel it has the POW that The Whisper Man gave me. The ending left me a bit unsatisfied. I guess I am disappointed in the monster.



Thank you to Alex North and Celadon Books and NetGalley for gifting me an audio copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.

This is the first audiobook I picked to listen to on the new NetGalley app and although I have some problems with the app (I have to hit pause and then play again to listen to the right chapter) did I find the new function excellent. I've enjoyed listening to audiobooks for some years now and to finally have it over at NetGalley is great!

As for the book. First, I enjoyed both narrators. Both Hannah Arterton and John Heffernan did a great job and it's nice when it's different narrators when the book has different POVs.

As for the story. I enjoyed it way more than I did The Whisper Man. Frankly, I can't remember The Whisper Man, at all. Then again. I read a lot of books and not all of them are memorable and my memory isn't what it used to be...

However, this book. Let's just say it had a really unexpected twist that made me love the story much more than I thought I would. It's a pretty depressing story when you think about it, but an awesome thriller. Not too predictable and I loved the little bookstore that featured in the story.

4.5/5 Stars

The Shadows is a marvelous thriller. I have not read The Whisper Man but knew I had to go ahead and listen to The Shadows while it was on Listen Now. The concept is unique and intriguing. Instantly, the story drew me in and kept my attention the entire time. The atmosphere, while not quite creepy, held a sense of foreboding. The idea of lucid dreaming and potentially being able to go beyond just lucidity was fascinating. I was constantly questioning what was real and true.

While reading, we alternate between three different POVs/time periods. The first is Paul's teenage years and the events leading up to the murder (the "then"). The second is Paul in the present coming back to town for the first time due to his mother's ill health. Lastly, we have Amanda, who is a detective investigating a copycat murder based on the killing of Paul's childhood friend. This leads me to my biggest complaint about the novel: Amanda's POV felt unnecessary most of the time. I would be drawn in and engrossed in Paul's POVs and would think to myself "oh yeah, her" whenever Amanda's chapters came around. I did enjoy her as a character and liked the role she played within the story, but having her POV did not add anything necessary that could not have been explained elsewhere. I have not seen any other reviews that convey this complaint, so it may just be me who holds this opinion.

I loved that I genuinely did not know what had happened or was happening until it was revealed. Each twist shocked me but made complete sense within the story (even if one, in particular, left me devastated). Thankfully, I found the ending satisfying, answering enough questions and avoiding being underwhelming.

When it comes to the production of the audiobook, I thought both of the narrators were excellent. They represented their characters well and provided stellar performances. Throughout my listening experience, I noted a robotic sound to their voices multiple times, though I am not sure if this is an issue with the audiobook itself or Netgalley Shelf as it is a new app.

I have seen in many reviews that readers prefer North's debut, The Whisper Man, over The Shadows, claiming it is the superior novel. If this is true, I cannot wait to read it as this book was nothing short of fantastic.

I was sucked into this story from the beginning. I read The Whispering Man recently and really enjoyed it. I didn't realize this was the same author until I added the Shadows to Goodreads.

The Prologue is about a boy that is going to the police station after a dead body was found. Chapter one skips to present day to Detective Amanda Beck. Her father was a cop and she visits his grave. She gets a phone call and has to go to a crime scene. There is a dead teenage boy at a quarry. He is covered in blood and there are bloody hand prints on the stones around him. The story continues to try to find out what caused the two people to be killed. The story is twisty and flips back and forth between past and present.

The audio book is narrated by Hannah Arterton and John Heffernan. Both narrators did a great job. Both narrators have neutral voices that are a nice juxtaposition to the suspense of the story.

I recommend this book to anyone that likes creepy, suspenseful thrillers and ghost stories.

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for providing The Shadows in exchange for an honest review.

Imagine: You knew a teenager like Charlie Crabtree. A dark imagination, a sinister smile--always on the outside of the group. Some part of you suspected he might be capable of doing something awful. Twenty-five years ago, Crabtree did just that, committing a murder so shocking that it’s attracted that strange kind of infamy that only exists on the darkest corners of the internet--and inspired more than one copycat.

I was hesitant going into this book. I was not sure what to suspect, but once I started reading I was hooked. Reading about Paul, Charlie, and everyone else seemed to grip me in a way I did not think this book would. Although I really enjoyed it I wished it was slightly more scary. There were times towards the end when my heart was racing in my chest as I read. That is the feeling I wanted more of from throughout the book.

When I read books with multiple POV's it can be hard to enjoy. I think this book did a great job at giving us Paul's Pov but also making Amanda's part interesting and informative. Watching situations play out in Pauls past was very interesting. As I read, I was in the same head space as Paul, not believing a thing Charlie said, but as the story went on, I found myself wondering.


***Spoiler Section***

-The entire time I was so happy that Paul was seeing Jenny. I thought that meant at the end of the book he would be able to get his happily ever after. I was so freaking shocked to find out she was the one murdered all of those years ago! I Love Love Loved that part! I did not see it coming and it just completely took me by surprise.

- Can we talk about James and Charlie being brothers. I'm not against that, and let's be honest here, a part of me loved that this entire time there was just one brother trying corrupt and MURDER!!! the other! Just wow! more things I did not see happening

-I'll be honest, I'm still a little confused about the copy cat murders. From what I understand, after James kills Charlie he does everything in his power to block out the murder. This then leads to him convincing himself and other that Charlie is still alive. I'm also pretty sure he's the reason all of the other murders happened.

overall, this was a very enjoyable book. It actually makes me want to check out The Whisper Man

I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a great spooky thriller about going back to high school and how the social pressures of adolescent boys can take a very dark turn. I was excited to read it after hearing great things and was not disappointed, it was a gripping tale I could not put down and finished listening to the audiobook in less than 2 days. It had many twists and turns and kept me guessing right until the last chapter. I don't recommend listening to it on a dark and creepy night though, unless you enjoy scaring yourself! Thank you to NetGalley for giving me access to the audiobook on the new NetGalley Shelf app in exchange for an honest review.

The Shadows A Novel by Alex North

Audiobook
Listening Length: 9 hours and 5 minutes
Narrators: Hannah Arterton, John Heffernan
Publisher: MacMillan Audio
Release Date: July 7, 2020
326 Pages

General Fiction (Adult), Horror Suspense, Paranormal, Mystery & Thriller

The name of the book comes from the dark woods near Paul’s house. The boys began practicing lucid dreaming. Paul Adams was young when the first child was killed and was a friend. He grieved over the death and soon after left home. He is back in the area after 25 years visiting his mother Daphne in Hospice. She is receiving palliative care after she fell down a flight of stairs.

Amanda Beck is a detective investigating the murder of a teenage boy. What she doesn’t realize is this killing is very similar to one that occurred years before. The narrators do a wonderful job portraying their characters. The story is fast paced, and the characters are developed. It is written in the third person point of view. The feel of the story is spooky with twists I did not see coming.

A nice, slightly creepy, maybe-possibly-slightly-supernatural-or-maybe-not mystery. I received an audio copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
First, I want to say that both narrators were very good and really added to the experience.
The writing was solid, vivid without being overly descriptive or "lush," which I appreciated. It was a very readable style.
The plot of The Shadows took me right back to high school, and wow, did it make me cringe. Because I, like most of us, also knew a Charlie Crabtree: one of those brooding, charismatic, pseudo-intellectuals who you secretly suspect might have undiagnosed antisocial personality disorder. But I digress. I felt like I was right there in the midst of the action. The writing of the "before" chapters was almost uncomfortably believable and realistic. I found those sections a bit more compelling than the "now" chapters. The present day story felt sort of loose and scattered by comparison. Everything moved very quickly, and although not a lot actually happened, I found myself getting lost. (Playback problens made it worse. I ended up listening to multiple chapters multiple times, and I feel like I may have missed parts. But other reviewers mentioned feeling similarly having read the print version, so I suspect that it was more of an issue with the writing.) The lead up to the end was rushed and felt bit simple, but it did manage to come to a fairly satisfying conclusion.
I enjoyed it for what it was, but I expected it to be a bit more, because in the end, there wasn't a lot to it.

4.5/5 stars
Thank you Macmillan Audio, Celadon Books & Netgalley for the free audio copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

First thing’s first, Alex North’s books have the absolute best covers! Can we continue with the creepy hand theme for whatever he comes out with next?

When The Whisper Man was first getting all the hype on here last summer, I knew I needed to read it! I didn’t dislike it, but I had very high expectations after all the rave reviews. For that reason it kind of fell a bit flat for me. I still really enjoyed it, but not as much as everyone else had seemed to.

With The Shadows, I saw a lot more mixed reviews so I didn’t have expectations that were as high. I think this worked in my favor, because I loved The Shadows quite a bit more.

It makes me so happy when authors mention previous books (that are not part of a series) in their novels. There’s brief mention of The Whisper Man in The Shadows, but you certainly don’t need to read TWM first.

North also mentions Stephen King, and I’m sure King was an influential author for him. The Shadows actually reminded me of IT at times, but while still being entirely its own.

Towards the end there is a reveal that took me completely by surprise, and even broke my heart a little. Overall, I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook (did I mention the narrators were fantastic as well?) and I look forward to whatever Alex North comes up with next!

Another intricate tale from Alex North. His mind weaves a story that seems to tangle itself up in a way that there is no way out. But then suddenly everything becomes clear.

I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook but have to admit it was harder to follow because of the changing in voices and narrator - being now and then.

North has a wicked mysterious streak and his almost Steven King like thought process kept me on the edge from beginning to the end.

Maybe this doesn't need to be said but - if you are in the mood for a light, fluffy, fun read, this is not the book for you right now.
This is the dark spooky story I've been waiting for for a very long time. I listened to the audiobook version of this, and I have to say, even curled up under a blanket in the middle of the afternoon with all my blinds open letting light stream in - this book still gave me the chills. More than once. There is something so atmospheric about Alex North's writing. You feel unsettled right along with the characters. There is nothing outright SCARY about the book, but everything is so unsettling the entire time you read you feel like there is someone right behind you.
This story of childhood demons and nightmares haunting you as an adult gave me little hints of Slenderman and a grown up version of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. This is perfect if you ar elooking for something just a little spooky.
I'm actually reviewing this with about two hours left to go in the audiobook. I have no idea how it will end but I've absolutely enjoyed the ride to get here.

I admittedly was nervous going into this one. I’d seen so many mixed reviews (lookin’ at you @readwithjamie ) and I loved the Whisper Man so much that I didn’t know if this one would live up. For me, this one was even *better* than his first. Y’all already know I’m a big pusher of #NormalizeCriticalReviews and I think that’s so important, but this is a classic example of while one person may not have enjoyed a book, it may be your cup of tea! 
 
Okay – enough rambling. Time for a review. The Shadows is broken into two timelines – ‘before’ and ‘now’. The main story arc covers lucid dreaming, which freaks me the heck out. I may or may not have gotten goosebumps while reading. This one is hard to review without giving so much away – but there were a few plot twists that I thought I had guessed correctly but I couldn’t have been more wrong about. That’s the main thing I look for in a creepy thriller, and this one delivered.

I definitely think this novel would appeal to fans of murder mysteries & thrillers, particularly those who love a mystery spanning across generations!

MyReview: It is dark and haunting and gives off such creepy vibes that you might want to rethink reading this one at night, especially since it deals with lucid dreams. The only reason I’m not giving it 4 stars is because at many points it was a little boring and not so interesting.
MyRating: 3.5/ 5 stars

I couldn’t get into Whisper Man but decided to give Alex North another shot since he’s loved by most of bookstagram. But about 12% through the audio of this one i decided to DNF it too. I wasn’t really sure what was going on. There was a lot of horror scenes discussed without anything actually happening yet. I think this is supposed to be a suspenseful foreshadowing, but it is Usually ends up being a let down for me. And in this case since not much happened, and I got bored again, I don’t think Alex North is for me.

Paul Adams has avoided his hometown of Gritten as though his life depended on his absence from that dark, sinister place, but when his mother's dementia takes a turn for the worse, Paul must face his demons and return to the house he hasn't visited in twenty-five years. Unfortunately, even though Paul has desperately tried to forget the nightmares which plagued his existence as a teenager, the town of Gritten is not unforgiving. To Paul, the town feels frozen in time, with memories threatening to expose his secrets at every corner.

Because when Paul was a teenager, his friends—led by the malicious Charlie Crabtree—committed a ritualistic murder which shook the town of Gritten right to its very core. Having an everlasting effect, the crime tainted the once quaint, safe town in a murky haze. With stories passed down through the generations, the townsfolk have never quite recovered from the blood spilled that day.

With a steady string of copycat killers mimicking the heinous murder, Paul quickly discovers his past has not stayed buried and the crime has not been forgotten, even though he has spent the past quarter of a century attempting to do just that: forget. Much to his dismay, Paul can no longer suppress his emotions; his inner demons are alive, and his secrets are eager to smother every last bit of sanity he has managed to maintain.

In The Shadows, Gritten welcomes Paul home, even if he is still desperate to escape it.

Alex North's sophomore novel sets the stage for a thrilling, unputdownable read. Told in dual POV and dual timelines, The Shadows is a fast-paced novel, taking the reader right to the heart of what happened in Gritten all those years ago.

The setting of Gritten provides the perfect dark, atmospheric mood for a shocking suspense novel. The small town is bleak, with an underlying sinister presence around every turn.

In addition to the compelling setting, the narration is equally superb. The characters were incredibly well-developed and smartly written. Paul and his friends have unique personalities, all different in their own creepy way, and as the story progresses, each character is given the opportunity to really shine.

Overall, The Shadows by Alex North is an immersive, enthralling tale about friendships, secrets, young love, and a mother's devotion to her child. A solid thriller with a touch of the supernatural, this twisty tale thrives on human emotions, so you might want to read with the lights on...

Maybe Alex North isn't the right fit for me. I understand the appeal, but The Whisper Man fell short for me and The Shadows missed the mark as well. I really thought I would stay captivated after a STUNNING start, but it fizzled out fast. That being said, I highly encourage readers to give it a go. I will say this one did have more staying power for me than the Whisper Man.

I was hooked on this story very quickly!
I was reading the physical copy of this and enjoying it but today received the audiobook and it really added to the whole atmosphere and creepiness of the story. The narrators, #JohnHefferman and #HannahArterton did a wonderful job capturing the sense of fear and foreboding in this book. Once again Alex North has brought a terrific story through his writing.
The story is compelling in the plot and dual timeline, being told from the perspective of the characters and story of a horrific murder that occurred 25 years before in this small town and the current day timeline of one the main characters being summoned back to town for his mother's failing health. Paul had moved away for university and tried to not think about the events he lived through as a teen. This strategy was somewhat effective until he returned back home to handle his mother's final days. He is quickly drawn back into the previous events and then current events that seem to follow the same course. I enjoyed some of the locales and the references to North's prior book, The Whisper Man.
My only critique of the story is a pet peeve of mine, and may have to occur when marketing the same book in the UK and USA. There are many phrases and terms used throughout the audiobook that were believable as read by narrators with UK accents and the story is clearly set in England. There is also the reverse where terms are artificially changed for the US crowd and it sounds awkward with an English narrator. I found several instances where the physical book had one version and the audiobook had the other. I don't believe there is anything lost in a novel that is kept in its original form, be that UK or USA. Most of people reading these books have enough experience with the differences in terms that we get it.
5/5
#Netgalley #NetgalleyAudiobooks #TheShadows #CeledonBooks #MacmillanAudio