Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. Not read anything from this author before but shall certainly be changing that. This is a really really good read that will have you hooked from the beginning. A worthy 5 stars

‘The Whisper Man’ has had a lot of rave reviews on social media and in the printed media. I read the synopsis for ‘The Whisper Man’ and it certainly appealed to me. I was a bit bothered in case the book didn’t live up to all the hype. Well I needn’t have worried because it lived up to its hype and then some. ‘The Whisper Man’ is a belter of a book. I absolutely chuffing well adored reading ‘The Whisper Man’ but more about that in a bit.
The characters in this book are a curious bunch. The first two main characters are Tom Kennedy and his adorable sounding son Jake. Both are recovering from the loss of Tom’s wife and Jake’s mother. Both are still grieving and Tom would do anything to take Jake’s pain away. In a way, both are keeping their true feelings buried. In an attempt to make a fresh start, Tom and Jake move to a new house. However when they move into this new house, things start to go wrong. I don’t really want to type too much more about what happens as I would hate to spoil the book for anybody. Then we have an emotionally damaged male detective, who tries to hide his emotions and he tries not to let his emotions affect his work, although that isn’t always possible. Last but not least, we have a psychopathic and twisted serial killer. I must say that when parts of the book focused on him, the hairs stood up on the back of my neck and he made my skin crawl. I certainly didn’t believe a word he said. If I could have jumped inside the pages of the book to accidentally on purpose deal with him once and for all then I would have done. All of the aforementioned characters come together and have a significant role in the story as it pans out.
Oh my flipping (not the word I was thinking but as my Mam might read this, I had better not use the ruder version of the word) goodness gracious me, ‘The Whisper Man’ was one hell of a read and then some. As soon as I began to read, I became so wrapped up in the story that I lost all track of time. Usually I have the attention span of a gnat and I am easily distracted but not in this case. My sole focus was on the book. In fact I was concentrating that hard on the book that the world could have ended and I wouldn’t have noticed. It didn’t take me long at all to get into this book and to become addicted to the story. In fact I would go so far as to say that by the time I got to the bottom of the first page, I was addicted to the story and my plans for the rest of the day were thrown out of the window. It would have needed something major to prise this book out of my hands. Woe betide the person who had tried to take the book out of my hands. My response would not have been pleasant! ‘The Whisper Man’ wasn’t exactly glued to my hands but it might as well have been because it came everywhere with me. It was as if I feared that by putting the book down I would have broken the hold that the book had over me and that I might have missed something. I am very nosy by nature and if there is gossip to be had then I will be right there.
The author’s writing style is superb. He grabs your attention from the start and he dangles enough bait in front of you to encourage you to read on. Yes, ‘The Whisper Man’ is primarily a crime novel but at the same time it also has elements of the horror story about it. Alex North has the ability to make you switch emotions at the drop of a hat. I found that certain parts of the book made me sad and then next minute I would be feeling frightened and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up.
Reading ‘The Whisper Man’ was much like being on one seriously scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride with several twists and turns along the way. There were also a fair few surprises in the story- some I predicted and some that crept up on me and then bam hit me like a punch to the gut, knocking the breath out of me. Whilst reading this book I felt my blood pressure rise, my heart pound and I kept holding my breath in anticipation of what was going to happen next in the book.
In short, ‘The Whisper Man’ certainly lives up to all the hype. The book had me on the edge of my seat throughout and I was gripped by the story all the way through. I can’t wait to read what Alex North comes up with next. Here’s hoping that we don’t have too long to wait. I would definitely recommend this book and this author to other readers. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

This was one of my favourite books so far this year. The storyline gripped me from the very beginning, the characters were believable and the story flowed brilliantly. Highly recommended.

I read Alex North’s debut novel over three dread-filled evenings, on the final night the clock was ticking later into the night and my Kindle was telling me that I still had an hour to go. Could I put it down? No, I could not. When it comes to crime fiction I am quite a fussy reader and am only gripped by the very best, having become tired with the never-ending cycle of unreliable narrators and books alternatively told from ‘him’ then ‘her’ perspectives. The Whisper Man might not be a horror novel, but it creeped me out substantially more than most of anything else I have read recently. For much of the novel there is a very faint whiff of the supernatural which the author handles superbly. Considering this is a debut novel it is remarkably clever and assured work of fiction. Often I find crime writers mature and improve over a sequence of novels, Alex North truly breaks that mould and hits the tarmac running. This novel is no trial run and I’ll be surprised if I read a better crime novel all year.

Jaded crime readers may think the plot sounds a tad familiar, but kick that thought into touch straight away. The disappearance and police search for a young child is indeed a well-trodden literary path, but the way The Whisper Man weaves a compelling and thrilling story through the points of view of a number of characters is second to none and raises the book well above most thrillers. A major strength is the believability of these exceptionally well-drawn characters from the broken adults, to the exhausted police and the withdrawn children.

The novel opens with moderately successful novelist Tom Kennedy wishing he had a better relationship with his introverted six-year-old son Jake. He is recovering from the death of his wife, Rebecca, whom Jake found dead at the bottom of the stairs after a freak heart-attack. Tom struggles to cope with the boy and prays that when he starts his new school he will settle. He does not.

Much of the plot is also seen from Jake’s point of view and much of his thoughts mirror that of his father. He also wishes they had a closer relationship and the pain of the loss of his mother is too much for him to bear. The dynamics between the father and son is quite simply outstanding and as the story moves on very moving with Tom trying his best to be a good single parent. Jake is very sharp and is aware that his father is struggling, this makes everything more heart-breaking and when you throw in a seriously convincing invisible friend you will not be able to take your eyes from the page. You may even shed a tear for the little boy who remembers his mother with his Packet of Special Things, which he takes everywhere and his father is not allowed to look into. Many crime novels would cover these family interactions superficially, neglecting the compassion which is revealed in the detail, but Alex North really brings this heart-breaking situation to life.

Tom and Jake have recently moved to the sleepy English village of Featherbank and initially do not realise they have arrived at a very bad time as a six-year-old boy. Neil Spencer, who would have been in the same class as Jake has recently occurred. The two are wrapped up in their own problems and don’t notice the local media circus. This leads us to the next major character, Detective Inspector Pete Willis whom helps in the investigation. Pete is not in charge of the search but has a very special interest in it as the circumstances of the disappearance are uncannily similar to a case he led fifteen years earlier. A twisted serial killer, Frank Carter, murdered five young boys and Pete was responsible for catching him. However, he was never able to truly close the case as they only uncovered the bodies of four of the children. Vowing to find the body of the fifth boy, Pete’s life disintegrated and the case became an obsession.

The killer became known as ‘The Whisper Man’ as he groomed the children by whispering in their windows late at night. Some of these sequences were outstanding, and although The Whisper Man was behind bars, the scenes featuring him truly crackled. He became so infamous there was even a Freddie Krueger style rhyme about him sung in the school playgrounds….

“If you leave a door half open, soon you’ll hear the whispers spoken
If you play outside alone, soon you won’t be going home
If your window’s left unlatched, you’ll hear him tapping at the glass
If you’re lonely, sad and blue, the Whisper Man will come for you.”

Even though it is impossible the cases do seem to be linked and after the kidnapping escalates DI Willis and Tom Kennedy are thrown together in what was an expertly plotted books which kept the reader hanging until the bitter end. There were some very good twists and clever reveals which were backed up by compassionate characters which were very easy to get behind. This is a novel to be savoured over in a few nights and I am delighted to give it the five-star treatment it richly deserves.

Firstly I want to comment on how beautiful the cover is, it immediately caught my eye! The Whisper Man is phenomenal, great writing and flowed beautifully. Extremely chilling and thrilling! A clear five out of five.

Make sure you have plenty of time before starting The Whisper Man. It is one of those books that draws you in and once you become immersed in the story you will not want to put it down!

This is a well written crime thriller with a hint of the supernatural. The story is based on the disappearance and murder of young boys but it is so much more than that. There is an unsolved murder, a killer linked to previous murders who is currently in jail and a psychopath who is out there somewhere and who the police are determined to find.

I loved the character development in this book, particularly the relationship between Tom and Jake after the death of Tom's wife, and also between Pete and Tom towards the end of the book. The story flows nicely, the characters are well developed, and there is enough suspense to keep you turning the pages.

An excellent debut novel and an exceptional read which will send shivers down your spine. I look forward to reading more from Alex North.

Thank you to Netgalley, Penguin UK-Michael Joseph and the author for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this amazing book

once in a while you read a book that grabs you and frightens you and chills you and thats when you know you have found an amazing author to follow

this is an amazing story that will chill you to the bones and frighten you with just a whisper.....its a story of two people trying to pick up their lives after losing a loved one...

but its also a story about missing children who hear whispers at their open window, and go missing in the night...
and are found with horrendous wounds to their bodies, their suffering evident to their bodies..only one boy is never found

a powerful story that will grip you right to the end...this is another author i am going to be keeping an eye out for...

Unsettling missing child case brings up a previous killer's MO. Widowed father is unnerved by his son's strange behaviour and worries he's not settling in his new school. Good twists and a great overall read.

This was an absolutely fantastic debut book. It was such a creepy psychological thriller and so unique. Certainly gave me the shivers and what a fantastic bunch of characters. Can't wait to read more by this author.

This is a cracking, fast-moving and creepy thriller. The English small town atmosphere is spot on, the child killer and past crimes believable, the narrative linkages over the decades are broadly convincing and the rising sense of tension and dread effectively disturbing.

My one criticism is that some of the character relationships don’t quite feel ‘earned’ and seemed designed as a rugpull rather than a character arc. This doesn’t detract from what is an enjoyable thriller.

The Whisper Man by Alex North is set to be published by Michael Joseph in hardcover, audio and eBook formats on 13th June, with the paperback to follow later in the Summer.  Let me tell you now, this is a book you need to get a copy of!  I received a free ARC copy of The Whisper Man but this has in no way influenced my review.

Well, this is an absolutely cracking read and a strong contender for my book of the year!  You know when you see a book and you just know, without any shadow of a doubt, that you're going to LOVE it.  That happened to me at a crime fiction festival last year when I won a book.  I could choose between this and another title.  A very naughty publicist (who shall remain nameless) talked me into taking a different book against my better judgement and since then I have been hankering after a copy of The Whisper Man.  I haven't read the other book yet, by the way, and it's got some awesome reviews.  I was drawn to this one though and should have gone with my gut!

This a wonderfully creepy and dark read which I powered through - probably quicker than anything else I've read this year.  There's a definite horror vibe about it which just added to my overall enjoyment of the book.  But what I loved most were our lead characters, Tom and Jake, who absolutely shone from the pages.  Tom and his 7-year-old son, Jake, don't have the easiest of relationships.  Rebecca; wife, mother and the glue which held the family together, died suddenly leaving the pair of them to fend for themselves.  Jake discovered his mum's body slumped at the bottom of the stairs.  Something that would traumatise most adults. He misses his mum terribly and has a new found fear of the stairs.  Which is why Tom decides a fresh start is what they need.  They leave the painful memories and the frightening stairs behind and move to the sleepy village of Featherbank.  But Featherbank has a dark past of its own.  The Whisper Man killed a number of young boys fifteen years ago.  And now another boy has gone missing.  Bewildered by Jake's behaviour normally, Tom is even more confused when Jake starts acting even stranger...

I absolutely loved this book and will be sending people barmy by recommending it all of the time!  The characters are just superb.  I loved Tom and my heart ached for little Jake (I have kids around the same age) but there are other equally as brilliant characters in this book.  I have to mention DI Pete Willis who I adored.  A man with many regrets and forever searching for the one boy he couldn't find.  He has a troubled past which he tortures himself with on a daily basis and deals with an addiction which he takes one step at a time.  Then there's Frank Carter, an evil psychopath who revels in his past as The Whisper Man and who longs to be remembered for what damage he did.  Brilliant, just brilliant!

You need this book in your life.  It's brilliantly creepy, edgy and chock full of surprises.  I was totally smitten from the moment I read the first page.  The characters are outstanding, the plot hooks you in in a matter of minutes and the writing is just sublime.  Not forgetting the seemingly-quaint yet overwhelmingly sinister setting of Featherbank.  This book has definitely left its mark on me.  I loved it and it's going to take something extra special to knock it off the top spot.

Would I recommend this book? You have to ask...?!  Most definitely.  It gave me chills and made my heart ache for Tom, Jake and their struggling relationship.  Full of some of the most memorable characters I have ever met in a book - I loved it (do say if I'm repeating myself!).  Completely unforgettable, impossible to put down and absolutely everything I want from a book.  I am in love.

I chose to read and review an ARC of The Whisper Man.  The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

I remember first hearing about The Whisper Man a little over a year ago, and I was desperate to get my hands on a copy. Although I was slightly worried as it had received a lot of early praise if it would live up to my expectation, and I’m relieved to tell you that it certainly did. This is one of the best crime novels I’ve read this year. Alex North’s writing is totally immersive and the line “if you leave the door half open, soon you’ll hear the whispers spoken,” chilled me to the bone. This is a very well thought out book with a chilling and creepy atmosphere, and it was done really well.

Tom and his son Jake move to the quiet town of Featherbank following the death of Tom’s wife. They’re hoping for a fresh start, but soon strange things start to happen, especially with Jake who begins talking to imaginary friends which really begins to worry Tom. A couple of decades ago a serial killer abducted and killed several children, one remains missing. In the present day, another child has disappeared, and soon the killer has their eyes set on Jake. But there are some scary similarities to the crimes that took place several decades before. But the man responsible for those crimes is in prison. Who is carrying out these crimes now?

This is a novel with a huge amount of heart. Tom confesses in the opening lines how he has struggled to bond with his son, but you can really see their relationship develop throughout the course of this book and this makes the final scenes so tense and gripping. I couldn’t be sure where we were going to end up at the end, and there were some times when I almost couldn’t bear to find out as I didn’t want anything bad to happen to the characters. A book is only gripping, I find if you care a lot about the characters and this is what Alex North has achieved with this book.

There is real depth to Alex North’s writing, I really engaged with Tom and his son as they tried to make a new start. You can see just how difficult this is for them and there are some scenes that I’m sure will pull at the heartstrings of many readers. Right from the start of the novel I just got the feeling that something terrible was going to happen and this darkness ran right from the beginning to the heart pounding conclusion.

The Whisper Man is a top crime novel, one I’m sure will hit the bestseller lists. Alex North is a writer who I’m sure will jump straight to the top of my TBR pile whenever he has a new book out. Brilliant and captivating. I highly recommend it.

Make sure the doors are closed before you read this book! The Whisper Man had me booked from the first chapter. I loved the writing style and the story was both creepy and suspensefut. Alex North has become my new favourite author and I can't wait to see what he comes up with next. My thanks to netgalley for an advance digital copy of this amazing debut novel.

Well I am 53 and still felt uneasy going to bed after reading this book! That didn't stop me staying up late to finish it though. A creepy, engrossing thriller, with touches of the supernatural; I absolutely loved it.

Brilliant! A great story to follow with a few unexpected twists. I’ll be recommending this for sure.

This is a new author to me and I was attracted by the cover and the write up. I enjoyed the book ,however I didn't think it offered anything new to the "bogeyman" genre. I did guess a few things going through the story ,but then enjoyed the twists it throws at you. It was very well written,and would read another one by this author.

Tom and Jake are present as the main characters in 'The Whisper Man' around whom the story plays out; however, the tightly planned plot stretches across many years beginning with Frank Carter, the serial killer who was imprisoned for five murders many years ago. It's a creepy tale of child murders, stalking, whispers and hints of undiscovered secrets. There is trauma, anger, much sadness, and damaged relationships. Among it all, there is a very good book which will keep the the reader guessing right until the final pages.
I give The Whisper Man 4 stars.

Really quite exceptional! This one is heading straight to the top of the charts. It’s fast paced, there’s loads going on to the point if you break you might need to go back a few pages to reacquaint yourself. The very concept of a child killer on the loose gives you the chills never mind the interaction with little Jake.

I won’t give spoilers and there are twists right to the end. I almost envy those who haven’t read it yet, knowing what’s in store for them. A creepy, horrifying tale that will keep you guessing until the end. Enjoy

Fantastic! This keeps the reader engrossed from the first to last page. The story is based on the disappearance and murder of young boys but it is superbly crafted. There are ingenious twists to the story and,behind it all,something not quite real. The boy Jakes and his relationship with his father is very well created as is the alcohol issue of a detective whose particular role in the story is not revealed till well into the book. I cannot recommend this strongly enough.

My thanks to NetGalley and publisher Penguin UK - Michael Joseph for the ARC.
This is a cracking, creepy, psychological thriller - an excellent read.
Frank Carter is in prison, convicted of abducting and killing 5 children in the area surrounding Featherbank 20yrs ago,. but the body of the 5th child, Tony, had never been recovered. DI Pete Willis is haunted by this but despite yearly visits to the prison still cannot get any information from Frank as to his whereabouts. Frank is dubbed the Whisper Man - enticing the children to go with him.
Present day and Neil Spencer aged 6 disappears on his way home from his father's house to his mother's. Someone is watching. Neil disappears.
DI Pete Willis lives locally and unofficially joins in the search but then officially joins DI Amanda Beck's team to investigate.
Meanwhile Tom Kennedy, a writer, and his son Jake aged 7, are trying to come to terms with the sudden loss of Tom's wife Rebecca. To make a fresh start they move to a quirky-looking house in Featherbank - one which Jake picked-out.
Jake has an imaginary friend who teaches him a children's rhyme of warning and prefers to spend time with her or draw rather than interact with other children. But the rhyme begins to take on new meanings after they move house when strange things start to happen.
(Any more and it'd spoil things.)

The striking thing for me about this book, apart from the main story, are all the painful memories the main characters carry with them. Tom's worried that he can't talk to Jake, Jake's worried that his dad may get angry, and Pete Willis regrets what the 'job' did to his family.

All put together, I thought this was really good and led to a heart-stopping and heart-breaking conclusion.