Let me say up front that I loved everything about this book. It is beautifully written, in clear, sparse prose that adds hugely to the story. Elspeth, the main character is fully realised, sympathetic and completely believable and the plot (no spoilers) -which had me questioning if this was a ghost story or a mystery throughout - is taut and just the right side of twisty.

Because of this, it’s a book for readers of any genre and age but especially if you like to be chilled to the bone.

One of my favourite books of all time is Michelle Pavers ‘Dark Matter’ and the Whistling has a similar feel, in terms of its sense of foreboding and eerie atmosphere, and this is combined with a cinematic quality to the writing. I kept thinking of the Oscar winning film ‘The Piano’ as I was reading.

All in all The Whistling is a triumph!

Creepy, dark and well written.

I saved this for autumn time to read and I read it so quickly because I couldn’t get enough.

I love a psychological thriller but this one stands out because of the ghost story element. This isn’t my usual type of book but this was a really enjoyable one.

If you want a read that makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up and your spine tingle The Whistling is definitely for you. Completely chilling, ghostly and Gothic, I could not put this one down.

Set in 1860 against the haunting background of a wild Scottish island this is the story of Elspeth Swanson and her mute charge, Mary. Mary has lost her brother, William and it is assumed that grief has rendered her speechless. Elspeth is determined to help her speak again. However, the more time she spends with Mary in the isolated and rundown Iskar house the more unsettled she feels. She hears mysterious whistling and a woman singing a lullaby in the middle of the night.

An extremely clever plot, beautiful writing suffused with menace and a foreboding atmosphere create an eerie story with a dramatic and unexpected ending. I recommend this novel very highly.

Thank yo to NetGalley and Michael Joseph for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Literary things-that-go-bump-in-the-night perfectly poised for the season

I requested this as an ARC from Netgalley on the back of a then few highly positive reviews. I was not to be disappointed.

From the off Rebecca Netley demonstrated her aplomb with this. Told as a first person narrative, set in 1860, a young woman boards a small boat, one of a few passengers to a remote Scottish island. Recently bereaved, she has come to be a nanny to a young girl, an orphan in the care of her aunt, living in the house which belongs to what was the ‘first family’ of the isolated island.

It turns out (doesn’t it always) that there is more than meets the eye here, and several satisfying literary tropes and forbears begin to knock pleasurably at the reader’s memory

The little girl, Mary is – unusual. She had a previous nanny, and that young woman appeared to leave in somewhat mysterious circumstances.

Mary’s guardian, the aunt, is not the warmest of charges, and appears to actively dislike Mary. There was also, clearly, some sort of ‘history’ between the two sisters – dead mother, and Miss Gilliard, the aunt.

There was also another child, brother to Mary. He too is gone, and there were various mutterings about his character.

All this raised those immersive and satisfying feelings of mounting unease so present in Turn of the Screw.

Then, the beautiful evocation of an isolated landscape, both beautiful and sinister, where malevolence might be felt, dark forces, and all the rest reminded me of Susan Hill’s Woman In Black

Netley more than holds her own.

I adored this one, almost all the way through. There is a final (unrevealed by me) denouement which yes, was unexpected, but disappointed, even though the psychology behind it was understandable. It just didn’t QUITE match everything else. Others may very well feel differently. I can’t say exactly why this let me down, as to do so would be to reveal a spoiler.

Am I waiting eagerly for Netley’s next novel? You bet.

With nowhere else to go, Elspeth Swansome has taken a job on a Scottish sea island. She will be caring for young Mary, whose twin, William, has recently passed away. Mary has not uttered a word since her brother’s death, and Elspeth has been left with the job of trying to bring the girl round. But Mary refuses to speak; and Elspeth can glean little information about what really happened to William, no one will speak of his death. Frustrated by her lack of progress with her young charge, Elspeth also finds herself increasingly disturbed by the strange noises she hears in the night, whispers, songs, whistling. Now, winter is fast approaching and there will be no escape from the island; what is lingering in the decaying walls of the old house? A deliciously creepy gothic, one of the few books I have read truly deserving of the title. Wrap up with this book, a cozy blanket, a cup of tea and a lamplit corner

This was brilliant! It was so eerie, spine-chilling and spooky. This is a must for all spooky fans, a perfect read for autumn! Can't wait to buy a physical copy.

For fans of Laura Purcell, this ghost story ticks all the right boxes for a dark and stormy night curled up at home under blankets, with the fire burning and a hot chocolate.

Scotland, 1860, and young nanny Elspeth Swansome arrives on the remote Scottish island of Skelthsea to take care of nine-year-old Mary, who hasn’t uttered a word since the sudden death of her twin brother, William. Having recently experienced her own personal tragedy, Elspeth is determined to save the little girl from the asylum – a fate that her hard-hearted aunt, Violet Gillies, seems to be planning for her.

Convinced that with some much-needed love and attention she can encourage the little girl to speak again, Elspeth tries to discover more about William – and about Hettie, her predecessor as the children’s nanny who apparently left her employment without warning just a few days before William’s death. But no one on Skelthsea will talk about what happened to William – or about the dark rumours that surface whenever Hettie’s name is mentioned.

When Elspeth begins to find strange dolls in long-abandoned rooms, and to hear the shrill pierce of a whistle cutting through the dead of night, she starts to realise that the cause of Mary’s muteness may lie in more than just neglect. What is Mary so afraid of that she refuses to speak? As Elspeth investigates further, the secrets and superstitions of Skelthsea begin to emerge, putting both her and her charge in danger.

The Whistling is an impressive debut that draws on all of the tropes of the classic ghost story, combining them with folkloric elements and a stunningly atmospheric setting to create a brilliantly eerie and otherworldly read. Lovers of the classic ghostly tales of M R James and the gothic eeriness of Wilkie Collins will feel instantly at home on Skelthsea, whilst readers of more modern takes on the genre will find the claustrophobia of Skelthsea – and, in particular, of Elspeth and Mary’s ‘home’ on the island, Iskar – offers the same creeping chills as Shirley Jackson’s Hill House or Daphne Du Maurier’s Manderley.

For me, the atmosphere of the novel was definitely one of its major strengths. The faded glory and crumbling chill of Iskar seeps off the page and I could practically feel the icy sea frets that roll into the bay at night. Rebecca Netley has also perfectly captured the feel of being an outsider in a small community and she uses this to great affect to make Elspeth – and by turn, the reader – uncertain of how to distinguish between superstition, rumour, and hidden truths.

The drawing out of the island’s secrets takes time and, if I had one criticism of The Whistling, it’s that the pacing can be a bit uneven. I raced through the first half of the novel, keen to discover whether the sinister dolls and strange noises were the work of human or supernatural entities, but then found the pace lulling in the mid-section, when the plot seemed to pivot towards more domestic dramas and personal backstories. Whilst these were interesting, they were quite a distinct change from the supernatural shenanigans of the opening half and, briefly, appeared to take the novel in quite a different direction. The pace picks up again towards the end of the book – and the supernatural plot moves back into gear with a vengeance – but, after a period of relative calm, I was left feeling like the dramatic reveal at the end was a little rushed.

The evocative atmosphere and story twists kept me reading though the slower sections and I’m glad I pushed onwards because, overall, The Whistling is one of those slow-burn ghost stories that creeps into your mind and lives there rent-free until you suddenly find yourself jumping at shadows and sleeping with the lights on. With it’s isolated setting and dour atmosphere, there are definite shades of Susan Hill’s The Woman in Black here and, just as in that novel, the spooks come from gradually dawning realisation and slowly built horror rather than dramatic jump scares.

I also found myself wholly rooting for Elspeth in her relentless pursuit of the truth. Her determination to help and protect Mary is touching – as is Mary’s own growing affection for her new nanny. I was particularly impressed by how much of Mary’s personality and character Rebecca Netley has conveyed through gestures, small interactions, and subtle movements – proof, if it were needed, that characters don’t need to speak to make themselves heard on the page.

The Whistling is a fine addition to the resurgent tradition of autumnal ghost stories. It is clear from reading it that Rebecca Netley both knows and loves the genre and her novel pays homage to all of the classics. Look closely and you’ll see the reverberations of everything from James’ The Turn of the Screw to Sarah Waters’ more recent The Little Stranger. Yet The Whistling is also a ghost story all of its own – a brilliantly evocative novel that will reward patient readers with that spine-tingling feeling.

What a brilliantly written eerie, spine tingling ghost story. I binge read this book and couldn’t put it down. A must read this autumn!

Alone in the world, Elspeth Swansome takes the position of nanny to a family on the remote Scottish island of Skelthsea. Her charge, Mary, hasn't uttered a word since the sudden death of her twin, William - just days after their former nanny disappeared. No one will speak of what happened to William. Just as no one can explain the hypnotic lullabies sung in empty corridors. Nor the strange dolls that appear in abandoned rooms. Nor the faint whistling that comes in the night. As winter draws in and passage to the mainland becomes impossible, Elspeth finds herself trapped.

A fabulous, chilling page-turner that had me guessing till the end. I had my mind made up so many times and was always wrong. Great characters that all add to the darkness of the story. I loved it, it's a perfect read for the darkening evenings with a cosy fire lit.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

3.5/5.

I love a good spooky tale, and couldn’t wait to read The Whistling based on the blurb. I was not disappointed. This novel truly has it all; located in an atmospheric remote Scottish island, a rattly old mansion is home to a bereaved family where no one talks of their losses. A new nanny arrives from Edinburgh in the hope that she can encourage a selectively mute child to talk. There is an impending sense of doom from the outset, tension builds as disturbing events unfold. I loved this book, it reads like a classic, and I urge fans of traditional ghost stories with a twist to set aside all other books and read The Whistling this spooky season! Perfect for fans of Laura Purcell. A super spooky big 4.5 stars from me. Enjoy!

This is an extremely atmospheric, disturbing and spooky gothic novel. It kept me awake I have to say. What's not to love about an old house, in the middle of a Scottish island and all sorts of creepy goings on. I have to say I did guess the ending but only at the very end. It certainly chills you to the bones A wonderful cast of characters who aren't all that they seem . I thoroughly enjoyed it and would definitely recommend it.

A classic, Gothic tale, just beautifully written. Through gorgeous use of prose, Ms. Netley creates a haunted atmosphere from the first page to the last. A solitary island, stormy seas, cold weather – these elements are brilliantly used to portray suspense, fear, and distrust amongst the characters.

The story told is like a meandering river, moving slowly this way and that, building momentum, until it comes crashing down into a waterfall. The novel slowly builds up to an unexpected, dramatic ending.

It’s more mystery and less horror with only a little bit of supernatural thrown in, but for an easy, quick read, it’s fantastic!

#netgalley #thewhistling #rebeccanetley #penguinmichaeljosephuk

It is that time of the year, the ghosts, the ghoulies, the phantoms, and all that is evil coming out of the woods and having a feast on us poor souls! Rebecca Netley’s debut novel The Whistling arrives in time for the spooky season; It had captured my interest ever since I had seen it in the Twitter feed of Michael J books, so no points in guessing my delight when my wish was granted by the publishers.

The Whistling takes the reader to the 1860s to a far-off island in Scotland called Skelthsea and the remote island has been captured beautifully by the author. Gothic thriller often has a huge rambling mansion in their story but few authors have the capability to make a whole place as a character by itself. Skelthsea is alive in the very fiber of the story creating the perfect background for the house, Iskar, to create the chills in our spine. And if that wasn’t enough, the author surprises the reader by taking storytelling to a different height with an audio effect. Not many authors have grabbed my attention so thoroughly with the effect of sound. It is not just the creaking of old floorboards or the soft footfalls, which are the staple ingredients for such ghost stories but also the sound of the widow’s whistle that calls the dead from their grave, the sound of the whispers carried by the wind, the sound of the sea that remains in every stone of the house, the author hooks the reader in with this astounding brilliance.

The Whistling also highlights the perceptions and assumptions by people when they are blinded by manipulation and the consequences of such blind beliefs. The other factor that works in this tale of revenge and tragedy is the heart-warming relationship between Elspeth and Mary, both of them encumbered by the mind-numbing grief that haunts them. Mary as the mute child tugs at our heart and in many parts of the story, all one wants to do is hold her tight and never let go. If there was one thing that I was disappointed within this tale was probably the ending, coz I expected more spectacular fireworks but it does not matter much as Rebecca Netley nails the classic gothic thriller completely with a lonely haunted house and a lot of witchy action to boot.

Kudos to the cover designer at Penguin Michael Joseph, the image with the burning candle inside the glass lamp coveys the eerie atmosphere of the story marvelously.

Many thanks to Net Galley, Penguin Michael Joseph, and the author for a chance to read and review this book. All opinions are expressed voluntarily.

This review is published in my blog https://rainnbooks.com/, Goodreads, Amazon India, Book Bub, Medium.com, Facebook, and Twitter.

Ooh yes. The perfect Halloween read. Wonderfully gothic and gave me all the "Turn of the Screw" vibes.
Elspeth and Mary's relationship is superb and its great to see that blossom, sadly they get each other as loss and grief draws them together. Mary's mannerisms as she refuses to speak, actually tell a story themselves. Death lurks everywhere as a never forgetting back drop, even though the characters really don't want to discuss it.

What I found particularly striking about this read was how the use of sound is portrayed. Most lovers of this genre are familiar with creepy goings on, objects moving or changing etc. This has all that but also more. The sounds the characters could hear really came off the page for me, something I rarely find happens in books. Incredibly atmospheric with that addition.

Chilling, fascinating, surprising.

This a beautifully written debut novel. I just love the way Rebecca Netley writes in a highly descriptive, 19th century gothic novel style, evocatively bringing to life the remoteness of the Scottish island where the book is set. The bleak loneliness of the setting is echoed in the personal situations of both the protagonist Elsbeth and that of her new charge, Mary, both having suffered personal tragedy. '
As the story unfolds, pragmatic Elspeth becomes determined to discover the truth behind the sinister happenings: the unexplained lullabies heard, pebbles wrapped in hair, lifelike dolls found in strange places, The stormy and chilling weather is echoed in the creaking stairs, rattling windows and forbidden rooms of the ancient and lonely house where the whistling and strange lullabies come inexplicably to Elspeth nightly.
With a mixture of witchcraft, ghost story and murder mystery, Rebecca's writing draws the reader in and keeps you enthralled to the end.

Thanks to netgalley for the arc.

Fabulous, chilling page turner that had me guessing till the end. I had my mind made up so many times and was always wrong. Great characters, fab landscape and setting, all adding to the darkness of the story. I loved it, it's a perfect read for the darkening evenings.

Going into this book I had no expectations what so ever. I was just super excited to give it a go and love it.

Sadly, this was not the case after I finished the novel.

I felt that the case with this book is that it was filled with great ideas but lacking in execution. On paper the plot and the characters are really strong but I felt a little underwhelmed when reading it. I think part of this comes down to how rushed the first 30% of the novel feels. The first part of the book felt slightly underdeveloped so when the plot and the characters started getting more interesting I didn't really feel connected as the first part was rushed and didn't allow for a great setting up of plot points and character motivations.

To be honest that was my major hindrance, I felt the beginning set me off on the wrong foot. The ending wasn't too shocking but it was satisfying.

The one thing I want to praise is the relationship between Mary and Elspeth. That was one of the major factors that kept me reading as I really enjoyed watching them form a close bond and grow together.

I loved this. Very ‘Turn of the Screw’ with additional ‘The Woman in Black’ influences. It kept me on edge to the very end, with new secrets coming to light at regular intervals. Deliciously creepy!

4+ star

It’s 1860 and Elspeth Swansome is on board a boat taking her to the Scottish island of Skelthsea as she escapes her past in Edinburgh. She’s to take up a position as nanny to nine year old Mary who is cared for by her aunt Violet Gillies. Mary is mute with grief, a deeply troubled child after tragedy enters her life. Elspeth is determined to get to the bottom of what so disturbs her charge especially when a number of inexplicable things occur including a whistling sound heard in the corridors of Iskar at night.

If you’re looking for a ghostly gothic tale to read as winter draws nigh then look no further than this. It’s a beautifully written novel that is true to the nineteenth century gothic novel both in style and format. There’s a haunting dream like quality that pervades the writing which is very powerful. There are some wonderful descriptions especially of Iskar the island home of Violet, over which hangs an air of solitude and sadness and evoking an atmosphere all of its own. As strange events increase in the household this is matched by the encroaching chill of the winter with all it’s unpredictable weather which serves to intensify the sense of foreboding. The island and its inhabitants add further to the tension and creepiness which starts with prickles of unease but grows into fear and a pervasive menace which Elspeth as the narrator clearly conveys. Elspeth is maybe too curious at times seemingly drawn in as a moth to a flame but her growing concern and love for Mary brings out a protective instinct. Icy fear, ghostly spectral hints, spooky scenes, strange behaviour all send shivers down the spine. It builds to a dramatic conclusion with a surprising outcome I don’t see coming!

Overall, this is an evocative, eerie, disquieting novel and perfect for fans of authors such as Laura Purcell. Recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Penguin Michael Joseph for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.