Based on the description I really thought I would like this, but unfortunately it fell a bit flat for me.

Initially there was a creepy atmosphere, but this didn’t continue. I think part of the problem was how deeply unlikable all the characters were, especially Rachel. Nobody listened to anyone else and everyone was angry about something all the time.

The story didn’t really feel like it went anywhere and the conclusion was a bit lacklustre. Sadly this just wasn’t really for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Embla Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC and giving me the opportunity to read this novel in advance. I leave this review voluntarily.

“Whispers In The Woods” (US version “Nowhere”) Dang! Y’all need Jesus!

★★★★★

The description “This is “The Outsider” meets “Mare of Easttown” (I’ve watched (and read “The Outsider”) both and absolutely loved them) hit the nail on the head.

This is a story that covers deep rooted trauma, horrors and tragedy in the most eerie way and I can only say, damn this was right up my alley!

The way this story unfolds and gets more dark, grim, unsettling and disturbing made it hard to put down. I simply got pulled in (or lured by whispers and songs) and when I finished this story I felt as if part of me got left behind in Dalmouth.

Allison Gunn knows how to mess you up in the best way and I recommend getting your hands on a copy of this novel if you dare..

Whispers in the Dark delivers the perfect spooky story of the season.

The narrative was incredibly visual and cinematic, I felt like I was right there with the characters as I was reading it.

It was an absolute page-turner, a solid 5-star read!

WHISPERS IN THE DARK – REVIEW
By: Allison Gunn
 
Published by: Embla Books

Out: 28th August 2025
 
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
 
Book Blurb:
 
Rachel Kennan knows she’ll never be accepted as police chief by the locals of the deeply religious town of Dahlmouth in Virginia. But she couldn’t really care less. The loss of her son, caused by her husband’s recklessness, has torn her marriage apart. But they have two daughters and life, or some semblance of life, needs to carry on for them.
One day Rachel is called out to a horrifying scene in the woods. A man has been nailed to a tree - dead. If that wasn’t bad enough, Abby Grayson, a young local girl then goes missing. Rachel swears the two incidents must be related and when more children start going missing things take a very dark turn and soon the whole town is scared and up in arms. Rachel must work out what is real and how to get her family to safety.
 
My Thoughts:
 
Holy Moly! What have I just read? This got creepy … fast. I’m not easily scared but this book unsettled me … and I loved it.
 
“Come play with us.” She giggled.
 
Let’s start with the Kennan family. Rachel, Finn, and their two daughters, Charlie, and Lucy. They had gone through the worst thing any family could go through. The loss of a child. Their son, Aidan. The feeling of grief was palpable, and the complexities of this family were strong. I can’t say I was drawn to any of the characters, but they were certainly compelling.
The locals didn’t trust the family and made it extremely obvious, which had a huge impact on the story and added even more layers to this already deep tale.
 
And then it got even darker!!!
 
This horror-thriller was drenched in Appalachian folklore where children fall under a sinister, deathly possession. The atmosphere was so oppressive and thick, I could have cut it with a knife. I was on the edge of my seat. The environment of a small, closely knit, deeply faithful, town added to the claustrophobic feel of this story, which only kept me reading.
 
This is a fantastic, chilling, suspenseful, deeply immersive debut. Don’t expect neat, happy resolutions. This story lingers long after the final page. But this was done in such a cleverly, un-annoying way, in my opinion. I was gripped and struggled to put this book down.
Parts of this read gave me similar vibes to the series called ‘From’.
On another note, this would make an excellent film or series … if done well.
I will be looking for more books by this author for sure.

Thank you NetGalley and Embla Books for the Advanced Reader’s Copy of Whispers in the Dark by Allison Gunn.

Rachel Kennan is the Chief of a small Virginian town called Dahlmouth. The town doesn’t even pretend to hide their contempt towards her. She doesn’t care as she is still mourning the loss her son who died in a drinking and driving accident at the hands of her estranged husband, Finn.

After finding the mutilated body of a man nailed to a tree, a child disappears. Then more people start disappearing into the woods. When everyone is in the woods, where do you go to hide when they start coming out of the woods? Nowhere!

This has all the feels of an 80’s horror movie. Small town mentality, religious townspeople, creepy children, dark and unexplained forces at work. That ending actually surprised me and I don't think it could have been written better.

As I’ve read this story, and though it’s unrelated, I kept hearing that one quote from Cold Hand Luke ringing in my head like an earworm:

“What we’ve got here… is failure to communicate. Some men you just can’t reach. So, you get what we had here last week, which is the way he wants it… well, he gets it.”

Unrelated but strangely fitting.

Do you think the pigs made it to the pen or the slaughterhouse? I’m putting my money on the slaughterhouse.

Whispers in the Dark had some genuinely intriguing moments, and I appreciated the attempt at building suspense and atmosphere. The concept was interesting, but I felt the pacing was uneven, and some character choices didn’t fully resonate with me. It was an okay read—enjoyable in parts, but not quite as gripping or polished as I had hoped.

Wow what an awesome read, such a scary and spooky story. I loved the characters and the small town vibe. Very edge of your seat storyline. Thank you NetGalley for this superb ARC. Will definitely buy hard copy upon release

The perfect spooky season read! This one definitely gives “f them kids” vibes and I loved it. I think this was a great Appalachian horror/thriller book.

close-knit, tight, tense, and highly ominous horror with some very ominous themes and feelings. would definitely recommend. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

4/5 stars.

I read this ARC as "Nowhere" which is the alternate title. I had accidentally re-requested this book, thinking it was a sequel. (Oops) But that just goes to show how much I enjoyed this book!

This book was spooky. I started reading this at night and it had me creeped out. The atmosphere is fantastic. I was completely immersed and intrigued to find out what was going on throughout this story.

Rachel and her husband Finn are still grieving from the loss of their son when Rachel gets called out to a crime scene in the woods. There is a very mysterious death and children start to go missing. There is a lot of mystery behind all of the disappearances and tensions rise as everyone starts to become uneasy.

The characters are extremely unlikable but it doesn’t make the story any less good. In fact, I think it might make the story better. I appreciated the glimpses of real life drama within this story. The characters were incredibly cruel to each other and it made me see how marriage really might be for some.

I was engaged in this story till the very end, and this certainly is not a story where you will have any sort of happy ending. If you love dark, mysterious, scary reads then you will probably love this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review.

This is by far my most favourite read of the year so far. It gripped me from the very first page and never let go. This novel is so much more than a supernatural horror—it’s a deeply human story about grief, brokenness, and the lengths we go to protect the ones we love.

Rachel Kennan is a beautifully complex protagonist—tough and driven, yet emotionally frayed from the tragic loss of her son. As the police chief of a small Virginia town steeped in tradition and suspicion, she’s forced to carry not only the weight of her family’s grief but also the burden of a chilling new crime that shakes the community to its core.

Gunn weaves a slow-burning, atmospheric narrative that pulses with dread. The setting—dark woods, a closed-off town, and a growing sense of unease—feels like a character of its own. And when something ancient begins to whisper to the children from the shadows, the story escalates into something truly harrowing. I found myself holding my breath through entire chapters.

What sets Whispers in the Dark apart is its raw emotional power. Finn’s spiral into alcoholism and guilt is heartbreakingly real, and the fractured relationship between him and Rachel is portrayed with both honesty and empathy. Their daughters, too, are given emotional depth that makes their vulnerabilities—and strength—all the more affecting.

Drawing on Appalachian folklore, it delivers a haunting cautionary tale that lingers long after the final page. The horror is both external and internal, and the author balances both with incredible finesse. Fans of literary horror, psychological suspense, and family dramas will find something unforgettable here.

An eerie, evocative, and emotionally devastating read—Allison Gunn is a voice to watch in horror fiction and I for one, cannot wait to read more of her work!

Whispers In The Dark by Allison Gunn
🌟🌟🌟🌟4/5

Publication Date: 28th August 2025

Thanks to @netgalley and @emblabooks for a advanced copy in return for a honest review.

This book was fantastic, a eerie gripping horror read. The different characters, the settings and the Creepy goings on kept me on the edge of my seat. Supernatural mixed with folklore, and a journey through grief. Written brilliantly, that i read through this one so fast, and also a debut novel from Allison, wondering how she will beat this one.

Chief Kennan is already facing her battles; being an outsider in a small and rural community, the recent loss of her son Aiden, and a marriage so broken it's hard to even remember the good old days. And that's before the body is found pinned to a tree, and then the children start behaving strangely, that's if they haven't just completely disappeared.

It's hard to believe this is a debut, Gunn writes horror so well. Its atmospheric, spooky, and at times aggressively scary. She writes creepy little kids very well! There were a few elements of back story in the first half that pulled me out of the pace of the story and didn't really add anything. Plus I understand the FMC was tortured but some of her reactions were a bit over the top - not sure how many parents describe their children's "shit eating grin" during a family argument. Reckon a film of this would be a 10 out of 10.

4.5 ⭐️
I’ve always been interested in the Appalachian folklore and this book DELIVERED 🤌🏼

It was so creepy and fear inducing. I felt my heart racing at times and I dreaded what would happen next. The reason this didn’t get 5 stars was because I couldn’t stand the FMC Rachel and her husband Finn wasn’t far behind. I understand they lost a child and I understand that must be the worse thing in the world, but they had two other children to be there for and I just felt their drama got in the way sometimes. HOWEVER, the horror aspect of this book was just brilliant. It gave me chills. I always find children in horror movies who are possessed by something sooooo creepy, and I feel like this book would make such a great movie! The way this book ended too, I want MORE!

I will think about this one for a while. Thank you NetGalley & Embla books for letting me arc read!!

Thoroughly enjoyed this. It’s fast paced, engaging and creepy as hell.

I could not put it down and will absolutely recommend it.

En la remota y sombría ciudad de Dahlmouth, Virginia, la jefa de policía Rachel Kennan se enfrenta a un hallazgo escalofriante: un cuerpo brutalmente mutilado y clavado a un árbol en medio del bosque. Lo que parece un caso aislado rápidamente se convierte en un misterio más profundo, con símbolos extraños grabados en los árboles, desapariciones inexplicables, y un silencio inquietante que envuelve al pueblo entero. Mientras Rachel lucha por descubrir la verdad, se enfrenta a sus propios demonios personales (incluida la muerte de su hijo) y a una comunidad que no confía en ella. A medida que el terror crece, se hace evidente que algo oscuro y ancestral está despertando en Dahlmouth, y puede que nadie esté a salvo.



Uno de los puntos fuertes del libro es su atmósfera: el pueblo aislado, el bosque amenazante, los rumores de cosas que acechan en la oscuridad… todo está construido con un detalle tan vívido que resulta fácil imaginarse allí. El misterio se va desenredando poco a poco, con revelaciones inquietantes y momentos verdaderamente escalofriantes.



TW: Homofobia.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

whoa there. did you look at this cover and get a prickle of unease. well welcome, that is nothing on what the rest of this book does to you. and your nerves! but that is where excitement lies in a book like this and when done well is a great read. and im glad to say this one is done very well for me.
do we think that people who take on this work must have some issues? i know its a trope. but it must have come from somewhere right? have we ever seen a happy and got there life together person at the head of these crimes or teams? anyway maybe you need to have seen darkness to figure them out. and this main character has been through it. i felt so much for her and what her family were going through it made me even more invested in this story. not only did i want to know where the plot would turn but i also needed to know how this family would be in the end too.
this story was chilliness kind of territory. you question the characters, you question your take on it. you question whats real or whether the whispers are part of something darker and deeper going on for these folk. this book draws you in and doesn't let go until it wants to. its one of those books where even if you aren't scared of the dark you switch a light on as you see shadows moving, lol. and one that makes you glad if you live with others or turn the tv on for company afterwards!
such skill i found in this book that im shocked that i read it was a debut? wow. if so what we have to come is truly exciting.bravo.

4+ ⭐


Sometimes, I just want a normal uncomplicated main character who has their life together.
Then along comes a character like Rachel (and to a lesser extent Finn) and they are just perfect in their complicated messed up way.
This book was at times one of the creepiest more sinister things I've read in a long while.
It made the hairs on the back of my neck stand out.
It also made me a tiny bit emotional, in the love that Rachel had for her children.
I flew through it.
Worth every minute of your time.

Thank you for the eARC! Nowhere was intense and gripping. I read it in an evening and was so glad I hadn't turned off all of the lights before starting it. This was SO creepy! Eerie with horrific imagery, an absolute masterpiece in edge-of-your intensity. This would be an absolutely incredible film. I cannot wait for another book by this author - it was hard to believe this was a debut novel!