Some horror books promise a haunted object and barely deliver – I'm here to tell you that Whistle is not one of those books. Linwood Barclay’s supernatural chiller leans fully into its spooky premise.

After a devastating year, Annie Blunt is desperate for a fresh start – somewhere quiet, where she and her son Charlie can begin to heal. But when Charlie finds a dusty old train set tucked away in a locked shed on their new property, things start to go off the rails (literally and figuratively), and soon, it feels like something wicked is barreling toward them, unstoppable and right on schedule.. The sounds of an unseen train haunt the night, disasters continue to befall them, and Annie’s once-whimsical illustrations take on a darker, more disturbing tone.

Running parallel to Annie’s story is a second timeline set twenty years earlier in Lucknow, Vermont, where a local police chief named Harry is slowly uncovering a strange and terrifying mystery centered around a model train story that mysteriously appeared in town. As the chapters alternate between past and present, Barclay carefully connects the dots – the timelines converge like twin tracks headed for the same horrifying destination.

This is the type of book that might be tough to watch on screen for weenies like me – there are some grisly visuals, both sinister and a little campy – but it hits the sweet spot for horror readers who like a mix of dread and spectacle. You’ll see danger coming long before Annie does, and that tension keeps the suspense simmering. It’s a fast, addictive read that could easily be devoured in one or two sittings.

The characters add real heart to the horror. I had a soft spot for Harry, who’s clearly in over his head but still trying to do the right thing. His concern for Gavin, a local man struggling with homelessness and unemployment, was a nice touch. And Annie struck me as authentic – a grieving mom with baggage, yes, but not someone who’s wallowing. She feels some responsibility for a child’s death, but she’s also rational and self-aware.

If you’re in the mood for a creepy, quick-paced read about a possessed toy train with a shockingly high body count – one that delivers on the premise, sticks the landing, and doesn’t skimp on thrills – Whistle is worth the price of a one-way ticket to creepy town.

Into everyday life - a birthday party, a Christmas gift, painting, playing with a dog - comes havoc and horror. It doesn’t come as a made for the movies monster or as an alien from outer space. No, it’s a toy train. That’s right. A toy train that chugs around a track with a choo choo and a whistle. Sometimes you can hear the whistle of that train if you leave a window open or in the middle of the night. But there’s no train there then, right?

No one blames Annie Blunt for wanting to leave New York City. She’s a children’s book author and illustrator whose latest book led to unimaginable tragedy. Her husband died in a hit and run accident. Her son Charlie has started sleepwalking. When her agent arranges a summer rental in a small town, Annie and Charlie move in. At first, it’s charming and has everything she could need. Then Charlie finds a padlocked shed and quickly learns how to cut open the lock. In that shed is a toy train. So it begins.

This is Linwood Barclay’s first horror novel and I hope it will not be his last. He vividly describes all Whistle’s characters, especially Annie, Charlie and Harry, and delivers a tightly plotted story, skillfully alternately present day events with those from the past. Train specialist Edward Nabler (E.Nabler) is creepy and horrifying. I know what gift children will NOT be getting at the holidays this year! 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow and Linwood Barclay for this ARC.

Reminiscent of King and Koontz 80s horror, Whistle tells the story of a mother and young son retreating to a small town after a family tragedy only to find something much worse waiting for them. I enjoyed the dual timelines and the story sucked me but I felt that is stalled a bit in the middle. All in all a very enjoyable read. Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I went into this book expecting a totally different direction from Linwood Barclay, but I loved this departure from his norm.

This book was a wild ride. I was intrigued from the prologue, and then immediately pulled into Annie and Harry’s stories. The dual timelines was a little confusing to me at first, slow to progress the plot at times, and I wasn’t sure how they’d connect. Once they did, however, I was 100% hooked.

The supernatural elements of the story were done so well. There were times I was genuinely creeped out by what I was reading, and I loved how suspense was built up little by little by each event that happened. The careful way this story was woven together through the two timelines was masterfully done, and I would get swept away in the plot each time they switched. The ending was satisfying, and even if I was left with a couple questions, I’m happy with where it left me.

When all he wanted was a PlayStation, a disappointed child opens up a large box to nothing but trains. Used trains at that; but there could be something special about these trains, something… strange and horrible.

After a fantastic opening, the book is fully launched into a front load set up with main character as children’s book writer with a creepy past in Annie. I would have preferred this sprinkled in instead of front loaded, as I was missing the excitement from the opening. Son Charlie was clever and endearing and I think the story would have benefited with having some moments his pov, like Josh Malerman’s Incidents Around the House. In Annie’s pov, the side characters really shined. Part II started with more of a history of the horror part of the story and the point of view of sheriff Harry, which both elements were way more interesting than following Annie.

If you are looking for a horror story with a cool concept, this could be a good choice. The Annie parts were a little dull in the beginning so I’m glad we got the Harry part started before halfway in, to pull the reader in more. But as soon as Annie started again, I felt myself disappointed so maybe having them interwoven a little more would have helped. Like how great the sections would have been if one had been Harry’s point of view and one had been Charlie and Annie combined.

This is a horror novel where you’ll get there before the characters but the journey is an enjoyable one for the most part.

This book was a bit of a departure for me -and for Linwood Barclay, I think- in that it is more of a horror/paranormal fiction story than a straight-up thriller. That being said, although this isn't my usual genre, I enjoyed the story and thought it was quite well done.
Children's book artist and author Annie Blunt has had a rough year, with one of her books triggering a tragic event and then her husband being killed in a hit & run. She decides to take her young son, Charlie, out of NYC for the summer, and her publisher helps arrange a gorgeous rental house upstate. Charlie is engrossed by an old model train set he finds in a shed on the property, but after a number of strange incidents, Annie figures she is either going mad or there is something evil about the train set. The story is mostly focused on Annie's story, but part of the story provides some historical background on Charlie's train set. I thought the paranormal parts of the story were very well done, and the characters were engaging and relatable, despite the strange things they were going through.

How is this my first Linwood Barclay book? Whistle has all the classic horror elements that make this a must read for fans of the genre. Possessed toys, unexplained "accidents" in an otherwise peaceful town, and not necessarily happy endings for everyone. I loved every single page of this book, and I raced through it like i was being chased by...Well, maybe a train.

Linwood Barclay’s new book, Whistle, hits like a hammer...or perhaps it would be more accurate to say it hits like a runaway freight train. The story is told in two different timelines, both gripping. The present day timeline tells the story of Annie and her son Charlie. It’s been a horrible time for them as of late. Annie, is a successful children’s book author, unfortunately her husband is killed in a tragic hit and run accident on the way to work. And then latest book, centered around her beloved penguin character learning to life, leads to another tragic accident with one of her young readers. Now she’s unsure if she’ll ever create another book again, not to mention the effect of everything is having on Charlie. Annie decides to get out of the city for the summer and rents a house in the country for her and Charlie, hoping a change of scenery might help. But when Charlie finds an old train set in a shed at the summer house, things start to very odd. The other timeline revolves around the train’s origin…and dang if it isn’t creepy and flat-out evil. I have to say this portion of the story had an almost Stephen King Needfull Things-esque vibe. As great an author as Linwood is, being a huge horror fan I think this might be favorite novel of his yet. This one is 5 stars all the way. I’d like to thank William Morrow and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of Whistle.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R19Y773RE25AUJ/ref=pe_123899240_1043597390_SRTC0204BT_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

I recently read Whistle by Linwood Barclay. This is the story of Annie and her son Charlie. To get a break from their lives in Manhattan, Annie and her son take a vacation renting a house in upstate New York. While there, Charlie finds an old train set of which he becomes unusually fond. The vacation seems to be a going well, until odd things begin happening. Unconventional neighbors behaving strangely, real train sounds coming from a train line not used in years, just for starters. There are lots more events I won't spoil for you. The reader also follows an earlier timeline in a different town. In this time period, we meet lots of characters, some briefly, as odd things are happening here too, all seemingly connected to model trains.

Whistle, while most definitely a horror book, is also quite the thriller. It is very fast paced, with most chapters ending on a cliff hanger or major revelation. Despite being fairly long this pacing makes it fly by, with pages turning quickly. Although there are plenty of characters in this story, by necessity, it is not overwhelming. Several characters are stand outs and will have you cheering for them. Entertaining from beginning to end, a very fun read.

For the record, my husband who has had model trains his whole life is now in trouble. Trains are expensive and cause us to have to purchase larger houses than necessary to accommodate his layout. Now I know they are evil (as suspected). Rest assured, I will be purchasing many copies of Whistle to hand out to hubby's train friends, as a cautionary tale. Also, I will be taking my husband's trains to the dump, have them shredded, then compacted, then put in a deep ocean trench. Do you think anyone would mind if we filled the Atlantic Ocean in with concrete?

Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow Publishing for the advanced copy and warning!

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow Books for this ARC!

This book was so creative and 100% my kind of horror. It's a slow burn and super mysterious. I absolutely loved the two viewpoints, they were so well written I honestly almost felt like I had two different books.

Originally I was worried with how long it was but in the end I wished it was a little longer. The end just felt like it was a bit rushed after so much journey.

I can't say much about this without ruining it but it really is an old school horror, reminiscent of Stephen King, and I highly recommend it!

Well.... wasn't this something a little different from one of my favourite authors... and I blooming loved it! It really took me back to of some of the old school horror that I read in the 80s.
Anyway... we start with Annie who has really not had a great time of late. She is a children's author, creator of the wonderful Pierce the Penguin. But tragedy strikes when a young child takes something she wrote too literally and falls to his death. She is still reeling from that when her husband dies in a hit-and-run. She's really had enough... so much so that she is well overdue submitting her next book that she hasn't even started yet. Her agent and friend, Finn, decides that she could do with a break so he rents her a huge Victorian house in a quiet upstate New York town where, hopefully she can rest, recuperate and spend some quality time with her young son Charlie.
Meanwhile, in another timeline, we follow the shenanigans in Lucknow where Police Chief Harry is investigating the disappearance of two men, which gets so much weirder when the body of one is found. Soon after there's a spate of accidents and incidents and more weird deaths. Harry notices that they have all occurred since a new shop opened in town...
Oh My Days was this all things chilling and horrific. There are some crazy shenanigans to be found, along with some rather gruesome deaths and, well, this guy pulls no punches with the whole horror theme! Quite how the two timelines connect I will leave you to discover for yourself, suffice to say when I got there and the whole truth was laid bare, I did have to sit back and applaud the author for a job well done.
Characterisation is, as always for this author, brilliant. Spoilers prevent me from going much further with this, but I can say that I absolutely loved Annie and Charlie. I also felt so much for Harry and what he went through.
And the main story - like I said - impressed the heck out of me. I am a big fan of this genre, especially when executed as well as here. Gratuitous violence with a story line and a point. Basically old school SK at his best.
All in all a cracking book which I thoroughly recommend to both fans of the author and the genre. I do hope he writes more in the genre going forward... Choo-freaking-choo...
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

The sound of a train whistle may never be something I find charming again. This book made sure of that.

I loved the creepiness and full horror that the beginning brought, then it became a bit of a slow burn for awhile. It's broken into multiple parts that come together, and the unsettling factor that I love in horror was definitely there despite the pace. The writing was great, although I personally was craving some quicker and more frightening thrills throughout.

Overall, I enjoyed it, and think fans of authors like Stephen King or Chuck Wendig who blend real horror with supernatural elements and focus on character driven storylines will, also.

Evil has a one track mind...

Whistle by Linwood Barclay is a creepy and unsettling supernatural horror/thriller that will grab you by the throat and not let go. It will also have you probably definitely looking at trains differently for awhile!!

Annie Blunt has had one of the worst years imaginable. First, a six year old boy wanted to learn how to fly like the loveable penguin in Annie's bestselling children's book, Pierce Takes Flight, but tragically lost his life. And then just when she thought she was over the worst of the fallout, her husband John was killed in a hit and run accident. Overwhelmed by guilt and grief, Annie and her son Charlie decide to get out of the city for awhile to reset and relax. At first the rented house 3 hours away in Upstate New York is the perfect place to unwind. Peaceful and quiet, Annie can picture herself and Charlie healing from their loss together. But when Charlie finds an old train set left in a shed, weird and unsettling things begin to happen. Annie keeps hearing a train whistle at night even though the nearest track has been abandoned. Then she starts to have weird visions of a wolf/rat hybrid being that she swears she has seen before. Did Annie leave one nightmare behind just to fall into an even scarier one?

This book was an absolute page turner!! Very creepy, haunting, unsettling, and dark, Whistle has everything I love in a supernatural horror!! The way this story is told is clever, instead of alternating chapters between characters and timelines, the book is split up into parts. At first you don't really know how the timelines connect, but as you keep reading the pieces start to fit together and the final picture is stunning! What made it even creepier for me is that I live in one of the small towns that is mentioned in the book.. so that's weird!! Highly recommend this for fans of old school Stephen King and supernatural horror reads!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Linwood Barclay, and William Morrow for this ARC!! Publication date is May 20th 2025.

Linwood Barclay is a new author for me, but the description is intiguing so I picked it up. I see he has written many books and I have a feeling that after this one I may be reading many more.

Description:
Evil has a one track mind....

Annie Blunt has had an unimaginably terrible year. First, her husband was killed in a tragic hit-and-run accident, then one of the children’s books she’s built her writing and illustrating career on ignited a major scandal. Desperate for a fresh start, she moves with her son Charlie to a charming small town in upstate New York where they can begin to heal.

But Annie’s year is about to get worse.

Bored and lonely in their isolated new surroundings, Charlie is thrilled when he finds a forgotten train set in a locked shed on their property. Annie is glad to see Charlie happy, but there’s something unsettling about his new toy. Strange sounds wake Annie in the night—she could swear she hears a train, but there isn’t an active track for miles—and bizarre things begin happening in the neighborhood. Worse, Annie can’t seem to stop drawing a disturbing new character that has no place in a children’s book.

Grief can do strange things to the mind, but Annie is beginning to think she’s walked out of one nightmare straight into another, only this one is far more terrifying…

My Thoughts:
While reading I thought Barclay must have been channeling Stephen King when he wrote this. You know how King turns something innocent into a nightmare scenario? Yeah that kind of feel. The book was creepy and chilling with the toy trains causing havoc in every household that bought them and the horrid little train guy (shivers)! Definitely a page-turner and there's no way I could put it down. Fast-paced and full of shocking events. I liked Annie's character and her son, Charlie. They had been through so much prior to coming to this vacation spot only to be pulled into a nightmare. Anyone who likes a killer or who likes Stephen King's books will enjoy this one.

Thanks to William Morrow through Netgalley for an advance copy.

The main thought running through my head right now is that everyone who loves the horror or thriller genres needs to grab a copy of the book right away - especially fans of old school Stephen King. I devoured this book in two days and still wanted more.

Annie Blunt, a famous children's author, has had a lot of loss and trauma in her life recently so she decides to take her son Charlie to upstate New York for the summer. Her editor has found the perfect rental home outside a small town in the hopes it will get Annie's creative juices flowing again.

In a separate and earlier timeline, Lucknow Chief Cook is facing some pretty strange occurrences in his small town. Several men have gone missing and peculiar events, which are initially written off as accidents, are popping up all over. On top of that, an odd individual, Edwin Nabler, has just opened a model train store in town called "Choo Choo's." Is it just coincidence or does Nabler have ulterior motives for settling in Lucknow. Soon the two timelines collide and the ride the reader is taken on by Barclay is one I won't soon forget.

I loved everything about this book, and it is definitely in the running for one of my favorites of 2025. The characters are well-written, and the story contains all the intrigue, death and supernatural elements I come to love in a book. Chief Cook really wants to save his town, and Annie wants only to make some positive memories with Charlie for the summer. But both are hearing mysterious train whistles at night and Charlie eventually runs away, in hopes of finding his dead father, and all train tracks seem to lead to Lucknow though, where evil awaits.

The formatting of this book really makes the story work. Instead of alternating POVs each chapter, Barclay has divided the book up into five parts, alternating each part from either Annie's POV or Chief Cook's POV. This worked really well for me because it allowed me some pretty big chunks of time in each world, learning more about the characters and how everything might eventually converge. Edwin Nable is one of the creepiest villains I've met in a long time and being inside his mind for any length of time is no real summer vacation.

I can't say enough good things about this book. It has a "Needful Things" vibe to it yet is a completely different story altogether. I can't help but believe Barclay must have had the same feeling because he has several references to some of King's earlier works. I will close by saying I feel any horror-lover needs to pick this one up.

This was my first read by Linwood Barclay, and it won’t be my last. I have been missing out! And I think this book will leave a lasting impression on me, as from now on, every time I see a toy train set, I will probably think of this story. The storytelling is fantastic, a creepy, suspenseful supernatural thriller with a classic horror vibe. I will keep my review short and sweet to avoid any potential spoilers. I went in mostly blind, and I suggest you do too!

Clever and dark, this was very well-written and solidly plotted. Barclay grabbed my attention from the start and maintained a building suspense and tension, making it impossible for me to put it down even before the halfway point. The story is fast-paced, featuring dual timelines and multiple POV, set against an atmospheric small-town backdrop with compelling characters ranging from the innocent to the sinister. My favorite character was Annie, and I found myself rooting for her throughout. Each scene is vividly depicted, and while there is gore, most of the frights are psychological. The foreshadowing is well done, creating a growing sense of dread, which is amplified by some unexpected twists and turn. I had so much fun reading this one!

Thank you to William Morrow Books and Netgalley for the gifted review copy

*4.5 rounded up

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. Train lovers will have a new outlook on what owning trains can mean. Annie and her son Charlie move to a new town after her husband dies. Charlie finds an old train out in the barn, that is where the story gets weird and creepy. He ends up running away to Mr Choo Choos train shop where things are not what they seem.

Look, Stephen King called this "terrific"

You have a woman suffering the worst year of her life. Her husband was killed in a hit and run. A fan of her books jumps to his death. Because of her grief, her agent rents a house for her and her grieving child.

Then...there's a train set...and ghostly train whistles, even though trains haven't run through the town in years. Then...their neighbor, who is so traumatized from working in their house, and a police officer who is investigating missing persons cases and a missing goat. THEN a new shop opens, called Choo Choo's Trains....

I read this in one night and couldn't sleep. I kept hearing train whistles and didn't want to find out if it was it was real or just my imagination. (It was the subway.)

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this terrifying movie.

4.5 stars -- rounded lip to 5 for the review of this e-ARC

Kudos to Mr. Barclay who hit it out of the park with his latest endeavor, taking a curve away from his style of writing. Many have mentioned that this is Stephen King-ish and I agree. Actually one needs to be patient for the first 7 chapters, which in my case didn't grab me right out of the gate... but after that things start happening.

As the publishers blurb states, it revolves around a mother and son that move to what they thought would be a nice quite town where they could start over after personal tragedies. Her son finds this train set at their new home, sets it up and off we go, chug chug! Whistles in the night when there aren't any trains in any close proximity. What does this all mean?

Some odd events occur, some tragedies, some unexplained circumstances all keep the reader turning those pages in this unusual and unique novel being told from two perspectives bringing us to a satisfying conclusion.

This was a fun read, kept me engaged, entertained and happy that I requested it from NetGalley and the William Morrow team of publishers. Get your copy next week on release day, 5/20/2025
My thanks to them, and to the talented Mr. Linwood Barclay, who indicates that he may try another one in this genre. Clap, clap!






Release date

First of all this was one of the best books I’ve read in quite awhile. Not once did it lose my interest from beginning to end. Secondly this was so unlike any other book by this author that I was shocked but in the best way possible. And third this was so like reading a Stephen King from his early days. There’s even an Easter egg giving a nod to SK if you read it. Just a genuine one of a kind story that I loved! Many thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this copy for read and review