The Whisper Man

"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.

If your windows left unlatched, you'll hear him tapping at the glass.

If you're lonely, sad, and blue the Whisper Man will come for you."

3.5 STARS - This debut had all the makings of a creepy, dark suspense read that may even touch on the horror genre. Not the typical read for this squeamish gal (serial killer preying on children - eeks!) but a good bookish pick just after Hallowe'en when I was still feeling brave enough to read scary stories. This book had pockets of creepy suspense but it wasn't as dark as I had anticipated. 

This is a slow burn kind of read made up of short chapters with an intense topic and a titch of police procedural, but apart from one scene, I can't say I was on the edge of my seat. North provides an impressive depth to his characters, but I often found the story was too heavy on the dysfunctional family/contemporary fiction dynamic which often overshadowed the suspense and broke the building tension. There are a couple of good issues addressed and, as the book progresses, these issues converge and make a bit more sense as to why they were included.

The Whisper Man initially has a solid menacing feel, a couple of decent twists but the ending wasn't as gripping as I had anticipated. This was a good read, but I was left wanting a little bit more - more eerie feels, more twists, and a stronger conclusion. That said, I still think this was an impressive debut novel and I look forward to seeing what Alex North comes up with next.

My Rating: 3.5 stars

Author: Alex North

Genre: Suspense

Type and Source: Hardcover from public library

Pages: 355

Publisher: Celadon Books

First Published: August 20, 2019

Book Description from GoodReads: In this dark, suspenseful thriller, Alex North weaves a multi-generational tale of a father and son caught in the crosshairs of an investigation to catch a serial killer preying on a small town.

After the sudden death of his wife, Tom Kennedy believes a fresh start will help him and his young son Jake heal. A new beginning, a new house, a new town. Featherbank.

But the town has a dark past. Twenty years ago, a serial killer abducted and murdered five residents. Until Frank Carter was finally caught, he was nicknamed "The Whisper Man," for he would lure his victims out by whispering at their windows at night.

Just as Tom and Jake settle into their new home, a young boy vanishes. His disappearance bears an unnerving resemblance to Frank Carter's crimes, reigniting old rumors that he preyed with an accomplice. Now, detectives Amanda Beck and Pete Willis must find the boy before it is too late, even if that means Pete has to revisit his great foe in prison: The Whisper Man.

And then Jake begins acting strangely. He hears a whispering at his window.