Whisper Down the Lane

Inspired by the 'Satanic panic' hysteria of the 1980s, 'Whisper Down The Lane' alternates between two stories in separate time periods that come together in a chilling way. The first strand follows five-year-old Sean in 1983, and what happens when his teacher becomes accused of dark rituals involving the children. The second follows Richard, a young art teacher in 2013, who becomes increasingly unnerved when that same story looks to be unfolding again, with him at the centre of a sinister plot. Though not entirely surprising, the way these strands converge makes the blood run cold, as Clay McLeod Chapman reminds us that ordinary human beings' responses can be more terrifying than any devils. Though there are descriptions of sacrificed animals, dark arts practices and a haunting figure referred to as 'the grey boy', it's Sean's series of interviews with a trauma counsellor that are perhaps the most disturbing passages in the book. Chapman handles the suggestion of coercion and corruption expertly, and these moments had me flicking to the next page in morbid astonishment.
All in all, the book is great at vividly portraying horror, whether folkloric or mundane (e.g. a Sandy Hook denier), and the characters who either seem to fit right in to this traditional small town or go against its grain. Though I wasn't always keen on the chattier style of Richard's first-person account, and felt that the denouement was disappointingly ordinary, I sped through 'Whisper Down The Lane' eager to find out more. Decades after 'The Crucible' and centuries after the witch hunts that inspired that work, the subject of baseless demonisation and corruption of innocents continues to be relevant. For that, I feel I'll be able to recommend this book for a long time yet.

I can recall living through some of the strange moments of the '80s like the sweeping Satanic Panic that gripped the country for awhile, and this novel encapsulates many of those moments quite well. From the media push, the outrageous claims, and the fear that anybody could be a Satan worshiper.

That's just one part of this story though, as the novel follows Sean, a five-year-old boy caught up in a Satanic cult story in the '80s and Richard, an elementary school art teacher finding himself in a frighteningly similar story.

As well as author Clay McLeod Chapman brings a reality to Sean's fictional Satanic cult story, he does an even more impressive job of documenting Richard's slowly shattering sanity as he deals with a Satanic themed attack on his character.

It's incredibly gripping, forcing you to turn each page as you search for the truth of the story. It all culminates in perfect horror film territory, bringing together fact and fiction to craft a terrifying story that could easily have been a warning to parents on any number of daytime talk shows during the '80s. You know this isn't real, but you'll find yourself realizing it could be far closer to truth than you're willing to admit.

I won an ARC from Quirk Books through a Goodreads Giveaway. Alternating between 5 year old Sean in 1983 and school teacher Richard in 2013, this psychological thriller will have you intensely flipping the pages. The author self-proclaimed this book as satanic panic fan-fiction and it doesn’t disappoint. The safety and concern of parents in the 80’s and present, the innocence of children wanting to please adults, how a story changes during a game of “telephone,” the repercussions of childhood trauma are all explored in this story.

Overall, I could guess the ending for the most part – but that didn’t stop me from flipping pages and staying up late to finish this. Fans of Grady Hendrix will like the way this is written. It is horror while also being social commentary. I’m glad I won a copy.

With astute commentary about truth and the “satanic panic” from the ‘80s, this thriller invites the reader to enjoy the ride from intriguing beginning to the stinger of an ending.