Alex North | THE WHISPER MAN

Plot (via 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... 

Review:

This creepy little package including a TERRIFYING singing card came to my door one day and I was screaming to the literary gods. Celadon Books has been absolutely killing it with their catalog and the thrillers and suspense novels they have been sending me are top-notch and The Whisper Man by Alex North is no exception. It's like a combination of urban legends with a serial killer case that is downright chilling and gave me plenty of moments where I had to put it down for a breather even though I was desperate to know what happens next.

The characters in this one were so sensationally written. This could've easily been a non-fiction book and I honestly wouldn't have been in disbelief. All had equally troubling backgrounds and their own personal issues that were woven together fantastically with the plot. I cannot say enough things about how creepy Frank Carter is. He reminded me of a John Wayne Gacy, but creepier. Tom and Pete were by far my favorite characters and as the novel progressed, small and big revelations just made me love them even more. One scene had me so freaked out that I found myself locking all of my doors and double checking them twice before going to bed that night. Unfortunately, there were a few times where I think North focused more on the characters and I found myself tempted to skim the pages, but those were few and far between. Maybe I just wanted to be scared the whole time, but still, the writing is damn near perfect.

If you're looking for a brilliant psychological thriller that defies the creepiness of The Silence of the Lambs and has characters you will take with you long after the last page, The Whisper Man is the novel for you. It's stunning in its prose, spooky, and downright addictive.

Special thanks to Celadon Books for this copy in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: 4/5