September 2019

THE WHISPER MAN by Alex North is a completely addicting thriller with threads of Stephen King chills rippling throughout.

Following the death of his wife, Tom Kennedy is struggling with life with his young son. He decides to leave painful memories behind and move to a new house in a new town, called Featherbank. Two decades ago, a serial killer kidnapped and murdered five children in Featherbank. And now another child has gone missing. Pete Willis, the detective who first worked on the case, is called back up to re-interview the original killer, as the police grapple with tragedy revisiting their town. This book twists and turns, and you will want to be alert on every page, which is not hard to be. The prose is tight, and the action is brisk.

The characters are so strongly drawn. I so felt for Tom trying to protect his son, especially as young Jake is still grappling with the death of his mother. When Jake starts hearing whispers and a mysterious handprint appears, you know Featherbank is not exactly a place that is light and fun.

Characters here are not perfect, but their good intentions make up for their flaws. There are lots of strains about the bonds of fatherhood.

I rarely am scared while reading a book, but this one gave me some very strong chills. I do not think I would have read it alone in the nighttime. But the chills are not gratuitous. They definitely enhance the story and make it a highly satisfying read.