The Whisper Man

by Alex North

Paperback, 384 pages

English language

Published June 9, 2020 by Celadon Books.

ISBN:: 978-1-250-31799-5

(13 reviews)

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.

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.

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...

1 edition

Matt K reviewed The Whisper Man by Alex North

A dark magic show

3 stars

This is outside of my usual reading, but was very enjoyable and spooky.

The Whisper Man has a vile multigenerational horror packed into a few narrative arcs. Fathers and sons face the deep gulfs between them as the hunt for a serial killer and the search for kidnapped children drives a frenzied pace.

Like a magic show, every mystery here has an explanation, but the beginning where you only see the horror is a wonder. Alex North holds your attention and misdirects you, but when he does the reveal it's also great - I shouted "I knew it!" a few times when reading this.

woollypigs reviewed The Whisper Man by Alex North

Review of 'The Whisper Man' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

wow, I'm back reading my favourite "spookies".

Way back when in my student days where I spend most of my nights reading scary horror books well into the early morning. With authors like Dan Simmons, E. A. Poe, Clive Barker, Shaun Hutson, Stephen King to ramble of a few.

I relived it again - you know that feeling when you know it is a good book and that you are going to be spooked, scared and checking the doors that one more time before heading to bed. But you are loving it, need it and enjoying it - THAT was where Alex took me in this book, thanks!

I truly enjoyed it and that it took me back in time too was an added bonus

pithypants reviewed The Whisper Man by Alex North

Review of 'The Whisper Man' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

Perfect timing to read this around Halloween. It was a cross between Stephen King and Hannibal Lector.

Amber Herbert reviewed The Whisper Man by Alex North

Review of 'The Whisper Man' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

Simultaneously a novel about a child murderer and fatherhood, The Whisper Man offers a unique take on what it means to be a good parent (or a horrible one) and how—if possible—one can break the cycle of disconnection and misunderstanding.

I’ll be honest, when I started this novel I expected it to be brutal and oftentimes disturbing; however, North is intentionally vague about the murders that transpire and how exactly the bodies were mutilated. This is a suspenseful novel that is approachable for even the most squeamish of readers.

NightDrake reviewed The Whisper Man by Alex North

Review of 'The Whisper Man' on 'Goodreads'

1 star

I tried really hard with this book, but I just found it boring. It's about a man and his little boy who move to a new house to make a new start after the man's wife dies. The only really good part of the book was the relationship between Tom and his son Jake.
Other than that you had two cops who were trying to figure out this whole Whisper Man case, but when you finally find out who it is it just falls so very flat. The whole Jake and talking to the little girl aspect wasn's even that spectacular.
All that to say I'm not sure I'll be reading anything else this author writes. Nothing about the book was horrifying or scary in the least.