I enjoy books by Linwood Barclay. However, having listened to the author discuss this book, I was a little wary of reading it as I don’t normally read horror.
I needn’t have been worried, the story drew me in and I felt compelled to find out what was going on in this unnerving spooky tale.
Told from a variety of timelines and perspectives, I wondered how the two seemingly unconnected stories would connect. I don’t think I could have foreseen how they did either. I felt the settings were clearly depicted, conjuring up images in my head, that I can still envisage some weeks later.
This book is dark, with unexpected happenings to unnerve you. Annie as a main character worked so well, she faces untenable situations and somehow keeps moving forwards. I could feel myself willing her on! There are a wide range of other characters, all fleshed out clearly, making them individually memorable.
The plot is a great one, which I am not going to discuss (avoiding spoilers) except to say I enjoyed it. There are shocks in store, alongside minor touching moments - a compulsive read from Linwood Barclay.

Linwood Barclay’s Whistle is a chilling, supernatural thriller that blends domestic suspense with eerie horror i. Known for his gripping crime novels, Barclay ventures into new territory here

The story follows Annie Blunt, a children’s book author reeling from personal tragedy, who relocates with her young son Charlie to a quiet town in upstate New York. But their fresh start quickly turns sour when Charlie discovers an old train set in a locked shed—and strange things begin to happen. Whispers in the night, ghostly train sounds, and Annie’s disturbing new illustrations suggest something sinister has been unleashed.

Barclay masterfully builds suspense, using the train set as a symbol of creeping dread. The horror isn’t just in the supernatural elements—it’s in the isolation, the grief, and the slow unravelling of Annie’s reality. The town of Lucknow, with its secrets and disappearances, adds a layer of small-town paranoia that fans of Stephen King will appreciate.

Dark, imaginative, and deeply atmospheric, Whistle is a ghost story with teeth!

While I normally enjoy books by Linwood Barclay because they are always fast paced page turners, I didn’t expect this one to have a paranormal twist therefore didn’t enjoy as much as I would normally which is just my personal preference. If you love Stephen King books though, it will be just up your street! It won’t stop me from reading more of Barclay’s books in the future because he is a great author and maybe this new style will attract new readers for him. I look forward to reading whatever he brings out next.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book.

A creepy horror thriller that will blow you away. Mr Choo-Choo's toy trains take on an evil life of their own and death soon follows his unsuspecting customers at every whistle. Scary stuff.

This was a case of my choosing the author without reading about the plot. I’m not a fan of horror and there is no doubt that horror is the genre for it. So I’m still giving it a high grade because whilst not what I can say a book I enjoyed I certainly was horrified by it and that was what Mr Barclay intended.

Unfortunately a DNF for me. I got to 50% and gave up.

I've read one or two Linwood Barclay books over the years. This is a change of genre for Barclay as a writer and, if you are a fan of their books, this is not like previous works. I, on the other hand, being a horror book lover, was delighted to have received a copy of Whistle for read and review.

First off the bat, it really reminded me of Needful Things by Stephen King. Always a good thing to have a smidge of King-ness in your stories in my humble opinion! The imagery of the shop, the mysterious owner with a nefarious agenda and the small town mindset. I liked the dual timeline, Annie as a character was likeable, and realistic as was what had happened to her. Harry the police chief was also a good guy, far out of his depth with what was happening in his little town.

What I didn't like is that the book is far too long, too descriptive, too meandering and, I'm sorry to say, I found it a bit dull as it is too slow a read.

I’ve always enjoyed Linwood Barclay’s books and this one was a great read, as usual. However, the genre was very different and very enjoyable. It was very creepy and you didn’t know where it would take you on the 2 different timelines. No wonder Stephen King read the first draft!

A different genre for this author. Very creepy, I had to read it during daylight hours only! I'm not a keen horror reader so for me this was a bit too spooky and frankly terrifying. If horror is your thing, then this is a great book to read!

Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for a review.

I have read a number of Linwood Barclay books and always enjoyed them.

This book is a bit different from previous ones I've read,a bit darker than usual but one I really enjoyed.

Well worth a read.

Annie Blunt a childrens author has lost her husband in a tragic accident. So with son Charlie so goes to stay in a small town. Charlie finds a train set but Annie thinks there is something a bit off with the toy. Harry Cook chief of police in the small town of Lucknow is investigating missing men. A new shop has opened and it sells toy trains.

I have read many books by Linwood Barclay in the past and have enjoyed them so I wanted to this one ago.

I quite enjoyed this book. Its venturing into horror and does have an early Stephen King to it. I would especially say Needful Things and that particular book does get a mention.

The story is told in two timelines. Both Annie and Harry experience something unsettling and it's all connected to the trains. Both timelines are filled with tension and dread with supernatural goings on.

This book is for anyone who likes old fashioned horror very much like early Stephen King, or for anyone who wants to give horror ago.

Thank you to the publisher via Netgalley for a copy to review.

Whistle is a psychological thriller by Linwood Barclay dealing with grief, paranoia, and supernatural menace. Once celebrated children’s author and illustrator Annie Blunt is attempting to rebuild her shattered life after a devastating series of events. But far from a new start she is subjected to a surreal and terrifying experience.

Following the tragic death of her husband and the public fallout from one of her beloved books, Annie retreats to a sleepy town in upstate New York with her young son, Charlie. But instead of finding peace her life escalates into something menacing. Charlie discovers an old train set locked away in a shed and what appears to be an exciting find turns into a nightmare when it appears to come alive at night. Annie begins to hear phantom train sounds and is plagued by eerie incidents that unravel her already fragile state.

Annie also has the unsettling compulsion to draw a character she’s never seen before, is it her subconscious trying to process trauma? Or is it something darker and more sinister.

This novel is a mix of psychological unease and a sense of the supernatural. Set in a remote town, the isolation Annie feels, makes the novel more atmospheric. Told over two timelines, the novel is full of tension, well paced and Linwood Barclay pulls the story together well. I am not a big fan of supernatural but still enjoyed the novel, giving it a 3.5 rating upgraded to 4.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and HQ for supplying this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Wow - it’s been a while since I’ve read a book that has kept me up at night not wanting to put it down! Not my usual style of book but I love Linwood Barclay so thought I would give it a try. Creepy and dark - I’ll be thinking about this one for a while!

I received a copy to review from Netgalley, below is the blurb:

"Celebrated children’s author and illustrator Annie Blunt has had a dreadful year. Her husband was killed in a tragic accident, then one of her children’s books ignited a major scandal. Desperate for a fresh start, she moves with her young son Charlie to a charming small town in upstate New York where they can begin to heal. But Annie’s year is about to get worse.
Bored and lonely in their isolated new surroundings, Charlie is thrilled when he finds a forgotten train set in a locked shed in the grounds of their new house. While Annie is pleased to see Charlie happy, there’s something unsettling about his new toy. Strange sounds wake Annie in the night – she’s sure she can hear a train in the middle of the night, although there isn’t an active line for miles. And then bizarre things start happening in the neighbourhood. But even stranger, Annie can’t seem to stop drawing a disturbing new character that has no place in a children’s book…
Grief plays tricks on the mind, but Annie is beginning to think she’s walked out of one nightmare straight into another, only this one is far more terrifying…"

Another good book by this established author. I have to admit I was a little confused to start with as I didn't realise that the book was switching between 2 different time frames. I would say if you like horror and his other works you will like this book.

Linwood Barclay takes a darker, ghosty supernatural turn with this one and it works very well.

The characters are compelling and the story is addictive and often a bit creepy. It is an entertaining ride, a read in one sitting novel that engages throughout.

A friend of mine (thanks Jen!) described it as Thomas The Tank Engine meets Stephen King and I can't actually think of a better way of putting it.

Recommended.

I really enjoyed Whistle, & it’s probably the best Linwood Barclay novel I’ve read so far, it was like reading a vintage Stephen King novel, it’s based around a little town & a charming man who sells train sets, the only problem with these train sets they have a special added ingredient. It had just the right level of intrigue & menace, definitely worth a read.

Wow this was good, a very unusual storyline and very creepy. If you like Stephen King, this is one for you. A slightly different genre for Linwood, but it works well and not sure I'll be buying any toy train sets for a while.

Thanks to HQ and Netgalley for he opportunity to read and review this book. I really enjoyed it

Whistle is a fascinating read that is set in dual timelines. One follows Annie, a newly widowed children's author who finds herself involved in a scandal involving one of her books. Annie and her young son go to a small town for a break and strange things start happening when they find a train set in a storage shed. The other timeline is set in a small town where a new toy train shop appears one day. Strange things start happening and the police are trying to solve the mystery before something even more tragic happens.

I've read a fair few Linwood Barclay books and this one totally took me by surprise. I wasn't expecting a supernatural storyline, and I may not have chosen this book had I known that's what it was, but I'm glad I did. This book is super creepy, right from the start and it had me on edge throughout.

I loved the dual timelines and trying to work out how the stories and characters overlapped before it all came together in a dramatic conclusion.

The characters are excellently written and I can see this story being compared to Stephen King books. I'd love to see a film version and think it would translate really well.

My thanks to NetGalley and the Publishers for sending me this ARC in return for an honest review.

Whistle by Linwood Barclay is a chilling supernatural tale that consumed me from the start.
This is a departure from Linwood Barclay’s usual style of crime novels but he has created a marvellous and well thought out plotline, showing that he is the master of the very chilling genre.
This is not a book for the faint hearted. It is far better to read it on a bright summer’s day than a cold, dark winter evening.
The action is split into various points of view, over different time periods. It keeps the reader in a state of heightened tension – we think we know what is coming even though the characters are clueless to the power that they have unwittingly unleashed.
Whistle is a tale of evil walking amongst the innocent. Very few realise what is going on until it is far too late.
All the characters were well drawn. There was definitely an air of menace attached to the villain. He was guilty of hubris too, believing he could never be beaten.
We see the bond between a mother and her son. They support each other as they attempt to heal from the loss of a husband and father.
Whistle was extremely well written and well thought out. It was a dark tale with more than a little dose of menace. Very chilling indeed.
I received a free copy from the publishers. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

An eery tale with a satisfying ending. I never thought it was possible to be afraid of trains. One to read with the lights on

4.5/5

After two tragedies occurring in Annie‘s life within a short space of time, Annie decides to take her and her son, Charlie out of the city for a few months. When arriving at the new house they’ll be staying in Charlie finds a box with a toy train. After setting up the toy train, strange things start to happen.

Linwood Barclay is one of my favourite authors but I was a little skeptical when I heard his new book was a horror book! It’s not something he has done before and I personally find horror very hit and miss.

I had nothing to worry about, who’d have thought a book about haunted toy trains would be so fantastic! Even though this is a horror book, it has real thriller elements to it. It felt more like a supernatural thriller.

I have enjoyed his recent books but nothing he has blown me away in quite a while until this book! When I saw him at a book signing at Linghams the other day, he said that he had more fun writing this book than he has in the last 10 years and you can really tell!

I read this on my kindle before falling asleep at night. I do not recommend this as the story is creepy and I was ending up with some wild dreams!