The Whisper Man: The chilling must-read Richard & Judy thriller pick [Paperback] Alex North Paperback – 12 December 2019

“The butterflies didn’t have a choice, after all. That’s what things do. Even in the toughest of circumstances, they keep living.”― Alex North, The Whisper ManRatings: ❤❤❤❤.5/5Who doesn't like a nice spooky thriller that gives you a creepy vibe all along the read, and some chills while on the journey? I know I do!!!This book revolves around Tom Kennedy who wants a fresh start for himself and his son Jake to cope with his wife's sudden death. They move into a new house in a small English town called Featherbank. Little do they know that the town which looks like the nice place to be at is hiding its own dirty scary secrets.20 years ago, "The Whisper Man", had abducted and killed several young children. Now in present times, history is repeating itself, except- "The Whisper Man" was caught 20 yrs ago and is now serving his time in prison.The mystery starts to unravel when Jake starts acting strangely and claims he heard whispers at his window.There is no denying that this book reminds me of "The Shining" at certain instances, but it was an entertaining read. It was spooky just as much - I mean to think of a 7yo boy casually saying - "The boy in the floor told me things!!!" --- eeppp scary! (This is exactly what Alex Norths' son just casually said one day😅... I just idk what to say about that....Also, came across this on Goodreads!!)Even so, it is not a continuous horror show, it portrays the father-son bond across different generations and some super interesting police proceedings.The story is told via multiple POVs, again not usually a Multiple POV fan, yet I bloody loved it here!! The pace, the narrative collectively makes this a great one sit read! (Cause that's exactly what I did 🤷🏻‍♀️)I hope you guys read this and love it as much as I did...and be equally spooked...!!Happy Reading 💕!!!

Excellent suspense thriller book that I am devoured in two days. Very atmospheric and thrilling ride. Father-son relationship was very nicely elaborated. Though mystery is slightly compromised. But anyway, satisfying.

Loved the twists in the plot. A little predictable but plugged in at the right turns. Also the way the three protagonists deal with love, tragedy and emotions is delivered with gravitas and lets you truly feel their journey.

It's an interesting read and will keep you hooked most of the time but the plots pretty thin and in the end many things remain unexplained and vague. I think there will be a sequel soon particularly about Jake.

I still cannot believe that this is Alex North's debut book. The Whisper Man exceeded my expectations and it is now one of the best books I've read this year.</b>The story starts with Tom Kennedy, a grieving author whose wife was murdered during a random break-in. Tom becomes the sole caretaker of his son Jake and looks to start his life all over again in another town called Featherbank. Jake, who still isn't over his mother's death finds solace in a little girl who now becomes his imaginary best friend. Featherbank is known for The Whisper Man, a serial killer who targets children and does unspeakable things to them.20 years after the Whisper Man is caught, another abduction takes place in Featherbank which forces DI Pete Willis, who caught the original Whisper Man to jump back into the scene. What unfolds from there is what The Whisper Man is all about.The writing is amazing. I still can't accept the fact that this is Alex North's debut novel. The author does a really good job of sketching his characters. Tom is a struggling author and father who makes mistakes while parenting his son. He struggles with the loss of his wife and at the same time wants to do the best for his son. On the other hand, DI Pete Willis is still struggling to come to terms with the loss of one more child on his watch and almost gives in to alcohol, a vice he has quit a long time ago. All of this makes for some compelling characters and every chapter made me want to read more.I would recommend this book to fans of Crime Thrillers.

Spine-chilling, goosebumps-giving, hair raising - this book is everything and more. I was literally at the edge of my seat, heart thumping hard in my chest right till the very end. Jake, a 7 year old boy, comes across as sensitive and intelligent. You find yourself caring about him, wanting to protect him and still being a little freaked out by him. Tom is endearing as his father even though he has his own demons to battle. And Pete is a cop you find yourself rooting for him and hoping he'll close up the case that's been eating at him for the last 20 years. The Whisper Man definitely incites fear and dread - both the character and the book - and has you biting your nails and waiting with bated breath as you hope for a happy ending. Make this into a movie and I'll watch it and probably still be as spooked.

Fantastic read! Great writing of traumatised minds - a kid, a father and an old cop! Slow burn thriller - completely pulls you in....retains the grip on your options through till the last page...now going for Alex Norths next book..

Excelente livro.

For someone who loooves crime, mystery and thriller books as well as movies, I see plot twists all the time and only few surprise me. The Whisper Man is a different story. I was amazed and completely moved with the reveal in almost every chapter. I enjoyed how the author slowly disclosed each character’s true selves and motives which leaves readers to connect the dots as the story progresses.The storyline opened a bit slow but it picked up almost instantly, leaving the reader guessing from page to page what really happened, what is happening, and how it will all end. The intertwining lives of the characters, told in different points of view, was written nicely and clear.A 5-star to one of the best thrillers I’ve read so far 🥰✨

Ich habe zuerst The Shadows gelesen und war da schon begeistert. The Whisper Man war nicht weniger mitreißend. Seit dem bin ich Fan.

I thought it was suspenseful from the get-go and made me feel like I was playing the role of the abductor for a moment. My sub-conscience asking myself "Why are you lurking around this innocent little kid, you creeper?!" But at the same time I was hopeful that the situation wasn't as grave as it appeared; that the abductor was rescuing the boy from a worse fate. *naiveThe writing is done as though it were a screenplay, especially when it comes to transitioning from one chapter to the next. It keeps the pace of the reading going with a smooth and clever transition style; each chapter ending in an episodic way either not giving you enough of the answer you were looking for, forcing you to continue or ending in such a chilling manner that you have to continue to be able to go about your day! Ahhh... so basically it's a quick read!It starts out a little creepy, then gets scary, then terrifying!!!The father-son duo is so sweet and grows stronger throughout the read. Both Tom and Jake, being so much alike, assume that the other doesn't care for them as much as they'd hope. That the other is not giving them what they need nor communicating in a way that they can understand. Both eventually having to learn the hard way (the impossibly intense end-of-the-world hard way) that they really do love and truly feel the love from one another.I cannot fathom the hurt of losing a young child, especially in such a horrific manner and this book had me rethinking my plans of procreation all together. I also think that it would be extremely creepy to read this as a parent - - steer clear padres. It's about young boys being carefully selected then abducted by a strange man whispering to them in the night through their bedroom windows and luring them outside; hence the name The Whisper Man.I tend to do most of my reading at night and circumstances had it that I spent most of this book's reading solo. *Perfect timing, Universe! I love my scary stories but oh my God this one had me reeling. I literally caught myself hallucinating in the pitch black before I fell asleep at night and realized in the morning that I had tiny black book residue on my fingertips most likely from excessively gripping the cover so as to not be sucked in fully.Kudos to Alex North who managed to create a gripping, perfectly paced, twisted story with incredibly beautiful and complicated characters. The names Featherbank and Carter will forever haunt me and my heart will most likely sink to my gut the next time someone whispers my name... yeesh! Equally, I fear that I may never see butterflies in the same light hereafter. Not necessarily in a worse light (with the exception of corpse moths) but in a different light with a new depth and appreciation. The appreciation stemming from the complete metamorphosis of a caterpillar to a butterfly; a process similarly found in the slow but dramatic development of the main characters lives and personas. They all grow through the hurt and emerge from their cocoons as their true selves.

Mystery involves serial child abduction and murder. Story presented from multiple perspectives including investigating police and potential child victim and father. The emotional wear and tear of these child cases on the investigating officers plays a significant role in the plot.There is not a lot of action or scary thrills but more a psychological study of the characters as well as the usual police procedures. I gave it 5 stars because I thought the psychological portraits were well done.