‘The Whisper Man’ by Alex North

" 'It wasn't her' my son had told me, 'It was the boy in the floor' " North, 148. 

Rating: 8.5/10

While reading this haunting tale about fathers and sons, my childhood fear of what lurked in the shadows returned. As someone new to the murder mystery genre, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from this book, other than a good ‘Who Done it?’. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find there was so much more in store than that. The story follows the life of Tom Kennedy and his son Jake, as they move to the town of Featherbank, after the death of Tom’s wife. But the horror that awaits them in their new home will shake you to your bones, as the infamous child murderer ‘The Whisper Man’ starts to make his way into their lives. The story focuses on the complexity of grief and the pain of growing up and does so in a refreshingly scary way. I had a blast with this book. It was anxiety inducing and at times complicated, but in the end, the story is tied up nicely with a cute little bow; the ending both satisfying and frustrating. With multiple plot points, paranormal influence, and strong True Crime themes, this book would be perfect for someone looking to be on the edge of their seat. North’s style of writing, and his inclusion of real life events, from his own life, made the story feel eerily familiar and realistic. This book has made me a true fan, and I cannot wait to read more of his work.